


Camp Kiabi

by clovesfanfic



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Angst, Camp Kiabi, Coming Out, Cute Kids, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Gallavich, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Shameless Big Bang, Slow Burn, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-12 23:33:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20572757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clovesfanfic/pseuds/clovesfanfic
Summary: Born with a silver spoon in his mouth, 18 year old Mickey Milkovich gets sent to work at a 12 week summer camp for Chicago’s inner city youth to “learn some goddamn work ethic.” There he meets veteran camper and now counselor himself, Ian Gallagher. But what happens when not one, but two boys at Camp Kiabi end up stealing Mickey’s heart.Alternative Title: Just Another Summer Camp AU





	1. Summer After High School, When We First Met

**Author's Note:**

> This is my contribution to the Shameless Big Bang Round 8!
> 
> Just my take on the summer camp AU! Hope it's a little something different than the others :)
> 
> Thank you to my beta Erika! You rock!
> 
> HUGE thanks to my incredible artist - Cheyenne - for drawing this cover art of our boys at Camp Kiabi. Linking here plus you can see it right below this! https://sentimentalspiders.tumblr.com/post/187575606936/illustration-for-camp-kiabi-by-clovesfanfic
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/170068005@N07/48702551966/in/dateposted-public/)  


“Welcome to Camp Kiabi! Hi! Welcome to Camp Kiabi! Hey, good to see you again Jacob! Welcome to Camp Kiabi, we’re going to have a great summer!” The red head next to him was starting to sound like a broken record, Mickey thought as he watched his co-counselor greet the kids as their parents dropped them off at the designated bus spot before they all took off for the campgrounds. 

He looked at the boys dropping their duffles in a pile a few feet in front of him. He looked at the parents prying their crying, already homesick kids out of their arms and into the waiting and consoling arms of other counselors. He looked at the rent-a-nurse, half heartedly checking each kid’s head for lice before clearing them to their counselors. He looked at the red head next to him again, Ian, with his toothy, overly cheery smile, greeting the kids that were assigned to their bunk. He looked down to Ian’s tye dye camp shirt, and then to his own matching shirt and knew this was going to be the worst summer of his life. 

How did a Northside, shit talking, no rules, rich boy like Mickey Milkovich end up spending his entire summer before college as a camp counselor for South Side youth? Good question. Let’s just say, for now, stealing your final exam answer key is highly frowned upon by the school board. 

Mickey Milkovich was broken from his stewing by small hand tugging at the hem of his shirt. When he peered down, he was met with big blue eyes, and floppy blonde hair.

“Mick-ey?” The boy sounded out reading his name tag. He and Ian had been assigned the youngest of the boys, ages six through eight. This one seemed extra tiny though, barely coming up to Mickey’s hips, and Mickey wasn’t some giant to begin with. 

“What, kid?” Mickey replied tersely. 

The kid didn’t waver from Mickey’s lack of enthusiasm tough, “Will you be my bus buddy?”

“You’re what?” Mickey sputtered, confused by words he had never heard paired together before. 

Still the kid was not deterred. He smiled big, “My _ bus buddy! _ You know, we sit next to each other on the bus.”

_ Oh. _Mickey thought. Now he got it. Well not entirely. Why did the kid want to sit next to a total stranger on the bus, instead of one of his friends. “Don’t you want to sit with one of your friends, kid?”

“Aidan.”

“Huh?”

The kid put his hands on his hips, giving Mickey his best menacing look, which didn’t do much for someone so small. “You keep calling me kid, but my name is Aidan.”

Mickey rolled his eyes, easily disregarding the camp director’s rule of keeping a happy appearance around the campers. “Well, _ Aidan, _ don’t you want to sit with one of your friends. I think that would be more fun for you.”

Aidan’s feisty demeanor suddenly shatters, and the hands on his hips dropped to his sides instantly, “I don’t have any friends. This is my first year here.”

“Oh,” Mickey replied at a loss. The kid looked back up at him, seemingly waiting to be comforted or reassured that everything would be fine, but he was met with Mickey’s blank stare. The kid looked on the verge of tears, and Mickey’s eyes searched for Ian’s over the kid’s head, but he was busy dealing with a kid of his own and Mickey said the first thing he could think of, “Uh, this is my first year, too.”

That seemed to be an okay answer as the kid perked back up again. “It is?” he asked, all wide eyed, in awe of being in the same boat as the cool big kid counselor in front of him. 

“Yeah. And I don’t got any friends either.” 

“So we can be friends? And bus buddies?” The kid asked again, hands fisted together in front of his chest waiting anxiously for Mickey’s reply. 

What the fuck was he supposed to say to the kid. No? Mickey didn’t particularly like kids, but he wasn't a goddamn monster. “Sure, kid. Aidan…”

Aidan squealed and threw his tiny arms around Mickey’s legs, “Thanks, Mickey Mouse!” he yelled as he ran off. 

“Hey!” Mickey yelled, determined to nip that shit in the bud, but the kid was already gone and into the snack line to grab a bite, as the last of the kids arrived. 

______________________________________________________________________  


“But do you _ know _ Mickey Mouse?” Aidan asked as Mickey stared out the window and tried to drown out the noise of the camp songs Ian was leading the other kids in. 

“Nope.”

“But your name is Mickey.”

“Yup.” 

“But Micke--”

“Why don’t you try singing the songs with the other kids, Aidan?” Mickey asked. The high pitched singing had to be better than the name interrogation he’d been getting from the little blonde boy since Camp Director Lucille announced it was time to board the busses. 

Fortunately for Mickey, the kid didn’t push, and turned to the aisle and tried to follow along with the unfamiliar songs. 

Mickey tuned out the excess noise as he watched the silvery sleek city skyscrapers slowly turn into green, dusty countryside, once again lamenting at what he’d gotten himself into. 12 weeks. No cell phones. No friends. Nothing but screaming kids and bug spray. All because he didn’t want to study for his last set of finals. 

He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t the ringleader of the whole operation. He actually took pride in being the mastermind of the shit he and his friends got into. Operation _ Fuck You Finals _ was Mickey’s baby. His last chance to pull one over on his fancy private school before he graduated and never looked back. 

Everything was a go, everything on schedule. They had already managed to get ahold of a copy of five out of their six finals, and were on to the last. Nathan, the charmer, started off the plan as always, by meeting the teacher in their classroom to ask a _ question _. After successfully charming the pants of the teacher, he would offer to help them carry their papers to the car, to which they always accepted. 

Then it was Mickey’s time to shine. As soon he saw Nathan and Mrs. Prescott round the corner of the hallway, he knew he had approximately four minutes to pick the locks on the desk drawers and and rifle through until he found the exam. If he was lucky it would be on the top level of one of the drawers. 

The third member of their friend group was Julien. Julien was high as a kite on the daily, so all they really trusted him to do was be the lookout. Yell out the code if Mrs. Prescott or any other teacher wanted to enter the room while Mickey was in there. 

It had all worked out the previous five times, but of course Nicole Arlington had to go and fuck it up. Nicole Arlington had long platinum blonde hair and short skirts. She was captain of the varsity cheer squad and Julien had been harboring a crush on her since the sixth grade. Her nonchalant “_ hey” _as she stepped up a couple feet from him to open her locker had him swooping on what could possibly be his last chance to make his move, and completely disregarding the task at hand. 

_ Mickey had finally got the test in his hands and was locking up the draws when he froze, “Mrs, Prescott, do you have a copy of that… Mr. Milkovich?” Principal Dwyers voice wavered as he took in Mickey’s crouched form behind the teacher’s desk. _

_ “Uh, hey Mr. Dwyer,” Mickey straighten up and attempted to slyly hide the test behind his back. “Just dropped my pen.” _

_ But it was no use. The jig was up. “Hand it over, Milkovich,” the principal glared. After he saw the test, he sighed one of his _ I’m not mad, just disappointed _ sighs and led Mickey to his office. _

_ “You had one fucking job!” He hissed at a wide eyed apologetic Julien as he passed him on the way to Mr. Dwyers office. _

Mickey was no snitch and had ended up taking full responsibility of the act, leading to his name being placed on the do not walk list. The only reason he was allowed to graduate and not stay for summer school was due to a sizable donation from his father. The fifth one he’d had to make in Mickey’s four years there. 

But Mickey’s dad wasn't letting him off easy this time. Terry Milkovich was a force when he wasn’t trying to be and a thundering storm when he was. He went off on Mickey about how he thought turning 18 meant he’d get his shit together, and grow up. Pick up a little bit of work ethic and not take the easy way out of everything before he headed off to study engineering like his old man in the fall. 

Later that night, he’d heard his dad in the study on the phone with his brother, Ronnie. Ronnie hadn’t gotten out of the South Side by way of college like his brother had, but had found his own passion in life when it came to cooking. He could hear his dad telling him he _ just didn’t know what to do with Mickey. _ Mickey angrily stewed in his room the rest of the night only to be interrupted by his dad storming in for less than a minute to inform his youngest son that he would be working at a summer camp this summer to “_learn some goddamn work ethic” _. 

Turns out Uncle Ronnie was the head chef at some sleepaway camp for the inner city youth called Camp Kiabi. 

So essentially, he was spending his summer in the woods because his best friend got distracted by a girl. Distracted by girls was something Mickey had trouble comprehending. Sure he’d dated his share of girls, even fucked some of them since that’s just what you did. But he didn’t get the appeal the other guys seemed to get. The hold girls seemed to have on his friends. Yeah they were pretty, but boobs were just boobs, and butts were just butts. But he figured it would all change when he met the right girl. 

He was startled suddenly by a thud on his right arm. He looked down to see Aidan had fallen asleep and appeared to be using him as a pillow. He figured it was easiest to let the kid stay that way... He slowly looked around the bus, careful not to wake the kid and noticed the singing had stopped at some point during his day dreaming and most people were talking amongst themselves. 

He caught eyes with Ian in the row behind him and gave him his best attempt at a closed mouth smile that probably looked more like a grimace. But Ian latched onto the first real opportunity to get to know his co-counselor and bunkmate for the next twelve weeks. 

“So, Mickey. Thanks for taking Quincy’s spot so last minute. We were all psyched to hear Lucille got a replacement for him so fast!” Quincy was originally Ian’s co-counselor but called out at the last minute due to a broken leg. 

“Yup.” Mickey replied, popping his p, trying to indicate an end of conversation. 

The redhead powered on. “We haven’t really had a chance to talk yet, but how’d you hear about the camp? Did you go here as a kid?”

Mickey huffed out a laugh at that assumption, a crease forming between Ian’s eyes at the reaction. “Nah, I wasn’t really right for this camp. Didn’t live in South Side.” 

“Oh,” Ian replied, realizing he must have been one of the North Side teens that apply to work at the camp. “So, you doing this for college apps or something?”

Mickey sighed, if he was going to spend almost three months with Ian, he figured he could spare a few minutes to talk to him. “Nah, I just graduated, my dad sent me here for the “work ethic,” Mickey answered using air quotes on the hand not trapped down by Aidan. 

“Gotcha,” Ian replied with a tight mouth smile of his own. Great, he would be holed up in a cabin with a rich douche forced to be here to learn a little humility. There was always one of those ones every year. But being the friendly guy he was, he figured he at least owed the guy a chance. “Well it’s good to have you aboard, Mickey. This is my third summer working here and my siblings and I came here as kids too, so if you have any questions just let me know,” he added on, putting his smile back on. 

Mickey just nodded and turned forward, effectively ending the conversation. He didn’t like the way Ian’s demeanor changed when he told him why he was working here. Sorry he wasn’t some do-gooder type just dying to spend his summer with rugrats. But he seemed to change pretty quickly back to cheery, so maybe Mickey had misread it. Regardless, he felt he’d met his socializing quota for the bus ride. 

After another drawn out hour on a sweltering bus, on sticky black seats, they had finally made it to Camp Kiabi. “Ay, Aidan. Time to get up. We’re here.” He shook the kid, who was still sleeping next to him as all the other boys and girls rushed off the bus, and down to the undercarriage to help drag out everyone’s duffles. 

“Mmm, tired.”

“You just slept for two hours, you can’t be tired.”

“Carry me.” Aidan huffed in less of questioning tone than Mickey thought he should have had for someone asking a favor. 

“Are you serious? Just get up.”

“Please,” Aidan squeaked, finally opening his eyes at least. “My legs are like jelly.”

Mickey eyes hit the roof of the bus with intensity of his eye roll, “You are so damn dramatic,” he muttered, lacking regard for the rules about cursing around the kids. But the halting of wind in the parked bus was starting to get to Mickey, he could feel sweat forming in his pits and he just wanted to get off the damn bus. “Fine.” He gave in after everyone else had left the bus and it was just the two of them. “You better not have this attitude all summer,” Mickey sternly reprimand as he swung his own backpack over both shoulders and then reached his hands under Aidan’s t-shirted armpits and swung him onto his right hip and maneuvered their way down off the bus. 

The new surroundings outside the bus seemed to rouse the kid and Mickey was able to put him down and help sort out bags and kids. 

Lucille stood up by the flag pole and blew three times on her blow horn, causing Mickey, and Aidan he noticed, to cover their ears. “Alright! Now that bags are sorted, it’s time to follow your group counselors to your cabin and get settled. You’ll have two hours for cabin time bonding and then report to the dining hall at six for dinner,” The older slightly greying woman explained. 

Mickey watched as Ian seemed completely at ease lining their nine kids up and started marching them the quarter mile to the male bunks. 

The bunks were pretty much as Mickey imagined they’d be when he learned he would be spending his summer at sleepaway camp. The path to the bunks split about halfway up, with the left going to the boys bunks and the right going towards the girls. 

There were 6 boys cabins on their side of the campground, each spaced about 100 feet apart. They had bunk five, as evident by the large _ BUNK 5 _ sign hanging on the wooden door that matched the wooden paneling of the rest of the cabin. The troupe walked up the few steps and Ian opened the door in a _ ta da _manner and gestured for everyone to follow him in. 

The second the kids were in the door, it was absolute mad chaos, with the kids screaming and running to claim the best bunks and making sure to get a suitable bunk mate. 

When the dust settled, literally, as it seemed the cabin hadn’t been swept since last summer, Mickey noticed Aidan still standing in the doorway of the cabin. 

“Go pick a bed dude,” Mickey told the little guy. 

Aidan looked up at Mickey with his big blue eyes and a pout, “But, I’ll be the only one without a bunk mate.”

Mickey bit his lip. _ Shit. _There were nine kids. An odd number. He looked over to Ian who was getting his sleeping bag settled on to one of the two single beds in the cabin, in hopes of getting some help with the situation. 

But he wasn’t able to catch Ian’s eye, and he could hear sniffles from the kid. “Well there’s just an uneven number of kids, so not everyone can have a partner.”

“Oh,” Aidan sniffed, wiping his eyes with the back of the hands. 

“But this way you have a whole other bed for space. You can make it a shelf or something.”

Aidan just nodded and pathetically dragged his oversized duffle bag to the remaining bunk and laid out his sleeping bad on the top bunk. Mickey could see tears rolling down his face as the kid worked in silence. 

Mickey looked back to where Ian was setting himself up on the single bed, clearly larger than the size of the bunk bed mattresses and back over to Aidan. 

He didn’t know what it was, as he did not consider himself a kid person at all, but Aidan was pulling at what he thought were non-existent heart strings. Mickey sighed and then huffed as he lifted his duffle and strode over to Aidan’s bunk near the door and tossed his bag on the bottom bunk. “Wanna be bunk buddies?” Mickey asked with the arch of an eyebrow.

Aidan’s eyes went wide as he saw Mickey place his bag on the bottom bunk, “YES” he screamed out, and lodged himself off the top bunk into an unsuspecting Mickey’s arms. 

Mickey almost toppled back with the force of Aidan hitting him, but an arm shot out to steady him. 

He swore he felt a buzz, but before he could process it, Ian’s hand was off his arm, and he was taking Aidan from his arms. 

“You can’t just jump like that, buddy. You have to make sure he is ready next time. You almost took out tough guy Mickey over there.” Ian teased, jabbing his finger in Mickey’s direction. 

“Did not,” Mickey huffed out defensively, ducking his head to hide his excitement at Ian calling him tough. Why he got excited about that, he would never know. His boys and tons of other people had called him tough all his life. Must be the new environment, he thought. 

Two hours and three icebreaker bonding games later, the boys were marching back down the path to the dining hall, past the open area they arrived in and up a smaller hiller to the dilapidated building, connected to one of the lodges. Mickey had to admit, Ian was really great with the kids. He noticed Aidan without a buddy and came up with a game where they were in groups of threes but always rotating so that everyone got a chance to know each other. 

It made something inside Mickey feel funny to see Aidan talking to one of the other kids as they walked to dinner. He wasn’t a monster after all. He supposed he was just happy for the kid. 

The first dinner of the summer was his Uncle Ronnie’s famous sloppy joes that the campers and counselors alike went wild for. His uncle was a pretty damn good chef. 

Everything was going well, and by that he meant the kids were talking amongst themselves so he could relish in some alone time to eat his meal, that is until he heard one of the female counselors for the ages six to eight girls, Kiki, belt out. “Get your elbows off the table Mickey Milkovich!” And suddenly the whole entire camp was laughing and joining in on this joke on Mickey the newbie. 

“Get your elbow of the table Mickey Milkovich,” the whole camp rang out, even Ian. The traitor of a coworker he was. “Now I told you once or twice, that it isn’t very nice! Get your elbows off the table Mickey Milkovich!”

Mickey sat stunned as the song came to a finish and the giggling subsided. But it wasn’t over. 

“Alright Mickey,” Kiki continued, “time to skip around the room!”

“What?”

“That’s the summer camp rule! You put your elbows on the table you have to skip around the mess hall. Next time you have to get up on the table and sing a song.”

Mickey rolled his eyes at the childish tradition. “I didn’t know the rules though,” he fought back.

“That’s how we get the newbies!” another counselor chimed in from a table over. “Get up!”

“I’m not skipping around the godda-- the gosh darn room.”

“Oh c’mon Mickey, don’t be a poor sport!” Kiki admonished. 

Mickey looked around for help. From who, he didn’t know. But no help was found. In fact Kiki had started a low chant of _ Mickey! Mickey! _Soon getting louder and louder with all the kids cheering him on. 

Mickey rolled his eyes and shoved his tray away from him and swung his legs over the bench. He kept his head down as he committed the atrocity of skipping in what could be described as an uncoordinated toddler doing a side trot. He made his way around the room and after what felt like an hour was finally back at his spot at the table. 

“Happy?” he mumbled out, pulling his tray back and finishing the food. 

The table giggled and Ian spoke up, “Yeah, but we're gonna have to work on those skipping skills, man. That was just… something.”

“Oh, shut up,” Mickey huffed, and finished the rest of dinner in silence. 


	2. Summer's Here and the Time is Right

Day 1 finished pretty easily with an all camp night hike, which was more like a long walk to accommodate the various ages and athletic levels of the campers. It took Ian and Mickey about half an hour to settle their rambunctious boys down for the night. Mickey was relieved to find that Ian, as the senior counselor of the two easily took the reigns for the night in talking with the boys about their favorite part of the day and regaling them in a soothing voice about the fun activities that were to come this summer. His voice quickly put a few of them to bed, with the rest shortly on the way. 

Mickey couldn’t help but find himself equally enamored by Ian’s voice, almost nodding off himself where he stood leaned up against the cabin door. 

Ian hit the lights and the two boys were on the way back down the path to the nightly staff meeting. Every night two counselors were paired to be “on duty” and would walk between the boys and girls bunks, checking in and listening for any signs of distress. Most of the time the counselors just called the job “OD.”

Ian and Mickey made their way to the second lodge, the one not connected to the dining hall, where the nightly meetings were held. They walked in a comfortable silence the whole way. Mickey hadn’t said much since dinner and Ian worried he’d rubbed Mickey the wrong way with his teasing. Maybe he’d get a chance to talk to him after the meeting. 

The silence was harshly interrupted as soon as Ian pulled open the door to lodge, and they were greeted with the bumbling voices of all the counselors. The older campers and girls typically went to sleep with less of a fuss, meaning their counselors had arrived at the lodge before Ian and Mickey. 

There were four raggedy couches arranged in a large square with extra chairs scattered about. It was a modge podge of folding chairs, old cushioned office chairs to mismatched dining chairs, seemingly pulled together. Kiki immediately gestured for Ian to sit on her couch and he quickly plopped himself down between her and another counselor named Devin. 

Mickey, in no rush to join the group, slowly scanned the meeting area and pulled up a single chair to the side of the couch Ian had sat on.

He was perfectly content to sit in silence until the camp director commenced the meeting, but it seemed Kiki and some of the other counselors had other plans. 

“Hey Mickey,” Kiki started, leaning across Ian’s lap to get closer to Mickey. It was hard to hear anyone not next to you over the hubbub of all the counselors. 

Mickey turned his head her direction and raised his eyebrow in a  _ Yeah?  _ Motion. 

“So like…” she giggled and lolled her head back against Ian, apparently preparing for what she thought was going to be a funny question. “Are you gonna be giving us attitude all summer * _ giggle*  _ ‘cause that would be like, hella annoying?”

Now Mickey was just confused. He wasn’t Mary Poppins when it came to the kids but he figured he’d had an okay start. “What?”

“Dude,” Devin chimed in, “you were totally pissy at dinner!”

Now it clicked. “You mean that stupid fucking elbows thing?”

“Yeah,” The two said in unison. Mickey’s eyes drifted to Ian in the middle of them, and Ian’s eyes locked on his, waiting for his reply. 

Mickey rolled his eyes. Of course Ian would take their side, even if they were co’s, Mickey was new, and Ian was one of them. So he deflected like always. “I wasn’t pissy, I was annoyed because it’s stupid.”

“It’s a camp tradition, Mickey,” Kiki snapped back. Also what the hell kind of name was Kiki. It had to be short for something Mickey figured. Not that he cared to find out. “Are you going to act like a brat for all our traditions? Why are you even here?”

Mickey was ready to get up from his seat and in her face to tell her off for speaking down to him, but Ian interjected, “Alright, alright Keeks, take it easy. It’s his first day and he didn’t grow up here like us. Just give him a chance to adjust.” He put up a hand between Kiki and Mickey in a placating motion. 

Mickey huffed, debating whether he was thankful for the interjection or to tell Ian he could fight his own battles when the director’s voice cut through, essentially ceasing the arguments for the time being. 

The nightly staff meetings consisted of a quick overview of how the day went and a review of the next day’s schedule. They usually only lasted thirty minutes and then the counselors were free for the night, trusted to make it back to their cabins by one in the morning, when the OD counselors got off. 

As soon as the director was out of the door, the teens quickly scattered into groups, some heading out to explore the campsite since it’d been a year, and others choosing to continue hanging out in the lodge to bask in its warmth. June gloom was still hitting them with it’s wrath with only two weeks left until July. 

Mickey slipped out the far door before anyone could have the chance to not invite him to hang out. 

____________________________________________________________________________

Ian’s side hurt with how much he was cracking up with his friends. They had chosen to stay in the lodge, too lazy to move from the couches. It was him, Devin, Kiki, Michelle and Alana sharing two sofas and stories of the past nine months they had been apart. Listening to his friends entertain each other with their stories had him thinking about how much he seriously missed them during the year. Sure, he had friends back in the city and he had his family, but Camp Kiabi? These were his people. This was his home. He’d been coming to this camp himself since he was seven years old and forlorned the day he would have to venture into the real world and get a real job, leaving him unable to return to Camp Kiabi. 

He pushed the thought away and tuned into the rumbling of his stomach. The camp dinners were earlier than he usually ate back at home with his family, so he almost always found himself needing a snack before bed. They had chips in the lounge but Ian was craving something sweet tonight. 

He dislodged himself from his friends and the couch, “Alright, I’m going to the dining hall to see if I can find one of Ronnie’s cookies leftover from dinner; anyone want me to bring some back?” His friends nodded and he was on his way, zipping up his grey cotton hoodie as he walked out in the dark night. 

A few minutes later and Ian was pulling open the door to the mess hall and making his way to the large open counter window where food was served, that allowed him to see into the kitchen. Chef Ronnie had been with the camp for a decade now, and offered his catering company at a discounted price every summer. It was his way of giving back to the impoverished youth in the same city he grew up in himself. 

Ian and the rest of the staff loved Chef Ronnie. He was a large, passionate man and you could see his salt and pepper hair peeking out from where he wore a bandana tied around his head to keep it out of his way. Ronnie might appear intimidating to some when they first meet, but once you got to know him, you found out he was truly just a teddy bear of guy who loved to cook. 

And get to know him you would. 

Ronnie Milkovich made it a point to mingle with the campers and counselors, learning what dishes they liked or if they wanted any special desserts if they had a summer birthday. 

Ian remembers the first time he spoke with Ronnie. It was his very first summer here. The end of July was approaching when Ronnie plopped himself down next to Ian on the bench at lunch. 

_ “So I hear you have a birthday coming up kid?”  _

_ Ian nodded heavily, his full head of curls swaying with the movement. “In 3 days! I’m going to be eight.” _

_ “Eight! You’re getting old.” _

_ Ian giggled at the teasing and so did his friends around him.  _

_ “Since it’s your birthday, any special dessert you want that night?” _

_ Ian’s eyes went wide at the idea that he got to choose the dessert for the night. Ronnie’s desserts had become the talk of the summer. From the warm double chocolate chip cookies, to his brownies and lemon bars, everything he made was decadent perfection.  _

_ Ian tucked his lips before shooting out his answer, “How ‘bout cake, please?” They hadn’t had one of Ronnie’s cakes since week one.  _

_ “Cake for the birthday boy? Sounds like a plan. What flavor?” _

_ “Chocolate!” Ian grinned almost evilly, eyes so wide you could see the whites on all sides of his pupil.  _

_ “Chocolate cake...A man after my own heart I tell ya,” Ronnie laughed as he stood from the bench, scruffed Ian’s curly hair and made his way back to the kitchen.  _

Ian smiled to himself at the memory having made it to the kitchen bar; he stuck his head in to look for the man himself. 

He was considerably surprised to see not only Ronnie hard at work, but his co-counselor, Mickey, himself, apron clad and hands covered in flour. 

“Mickey?” Ian asked, and Mickey’s head shot up startled from where he was mixing something in a large bowl. He must have come in quieter than he imagined. 

“Gallagher? What are you doing here?” Mickey rushed out, embarrassed to have been caught working in the kitchen and it was only day one. He hoped he could make it through most of the summer, if not all, with no one finding out. 

“I could ask you the same thing,” Ian retorted, amused by the red creeping across Mickey’s face. Was he embarrassed to be helping in the kitchen? Ian didn’t understand why if he was. 

It was then that Ronnie noticed Ian too, “Well if it isn’t my favorite counselor!”

“You say that to everyone, Ronnie,” Ian rolled his eyes. 

“Hey! That stays between us right?”

Ian shook his head at the fake seriousness of Ronnie’s remark. “Sure it does.”

“Hey,” Ronnie started, clapping a hand on Mickey’s back who was still standing by the counter watching the interaction, “have you met my best nephew Mickey? He’s one of the counselors here this summer.”

Mickey’s cheeks were turning redder by the second. 

“Mickey’s your nephew? He’s my co-counselor and he didn’t even tell me,” Ian lifted his eyebrows in a  _ why not _ manner towards Mickey. 

Mickey just shrugged under Ronnie’s hand, face as red as Ian’s hair now. 

Ronnie could see Mickey didn’t seem to want to talk about it and fortunately changed the subject, “Let me guess, you didn’t just come up to the kitchen this late for my good looks and personality?

“Hey, of course I did! What kind of guy do you think I am!” Ian defended himself.

Ronnie rolled his eyes at the show. 

“Okay and maybe I  _ also  _ came to see if there was any of those cookies leftover from dinner.” Ian smiled sheepishly down at himself. 

Mickey couldn’t help but think he liked Ian’s smile. That was a weird thing to think about a dude. 

“That’s what I thought,” Ronnie smirked. “Hey, why don’t you take a break Mickey and hang out with Ian while I heat some up?”

Mickey shook his head, “Nah, it’s okay, I just want to finish up.”

“No, no. Go on. You gotta make some friends if you’re going to be here all summer.”

Mickey just shrugged and put down the whisk he was still holding and did his best to wipe the flour from his hands onto his apron as he made his way through the swinging door to the side of the counter. Ian gestured with his head to follow him and they sat down at a table towards the middle of the mess hall to wait for the cookies. 

“So,” Ian started after a few seconds of awkward silence, “it’s nice you are helping out your uncle in the kitchen.”

Mickey folded his arms on the table where he sat straight across from Ian. “Ain’t like I really had a choice. He got me the job here so I had to help out. This way they don’t have to pay the staff to stay later to prep breakfast stuff if I can just do it.”

“Mmm, gotcha,” Ian nodded. “So will you do it every night?” They weren’t really friends yet, but Ian felt bad for the guy if he had to spend his nights working, he would never get a chance to hang out with the rest of the counselors and make friends that way. 

“Nah, just three nights a week. Uncle Ronnie said each of the four staff work one of the other nights,” Mickey answered, feeling slightly inclined to open up to Ian. For some reason, talking to Ian wasn’t as suffocating as it was with some of the other counselors here. 

Ian smiled, “ _ Uncle Ronnie _ .”

“What?” Mickey asked cocking his head to the side. 

“Nothing.”

Mickey didn’t press as there were more pressing matters at hand, “Could you maybe not tell the others I work in the kitchen?” Ian knew by others, he meant the other counselors and probably the campers too. 

Ian scrunched his forehead but nodded his head, not feeling like they were close enough where he could ask why. 

Before Mickey could thank him, Ronnie was depositing a whole plate of warm double chocolate chip cookies on the table in front of them. “Tell your friends to enjoy,” Ronnie winked and turned to Mickey. “Have a cookie and then break’s up,” he patted Mickey on the shoulder. 

“Thanks, Uncle Ronnie,” Mickey replied, hand immediately diving onto the plate for a cookie, even before Ian, who the cookies had been intended for. 

Ian just chuckled lightly and repeated, “ _ Uncle Ronnie, aw.” _

Mickey swallowed his first bite grumpily, “What the hell man? Why do you keep repeating that?”

“Nothing really. It’s just cute how you say it,” Ian teased. 

“You did not just call me cute? What self respecting 18 year old dude calls another guy “ _ cute”? _ ”

“I’m 17 and I didn’t call  _ you  _ cute, I said what you  _ said  _ was cute. Difference.”

“Oh, so I’m not cute,” Mickey teased, cookie hand to his chest, mocking offense. And that had Ian cracking up, which in turn couldn’t stop the smile that was spreading on Mickey’s own face. 

The laughter subsided after a few minutes, but Ian kept smiling at Mickey.

“Whatcha looking at man?” Mickey questioned, taking another bite.

Ian waited until he was sure Mickey had swallowed. “You have flour in your hair,” Ian deadpanned.

“Man, get the fuck out of here!” Mickey flipped him off in a playful huff, chucking a piece of his cookie at him for good measure as both boys stood from the table. 

Ian just laughed his way towards the door, calling, “Bye Mickey,” over his shoulder. 

Ian made it back to his friends and they were fortunately too distracted by the food to wonder what had taken him so long. 

By the time he schlepped back up the path to his cabin a little over an hour later, Mickey was already fast asleep in the bunk below Aidan. Ian felt like a creep, but couldn’t help but think how serene Mickey looked while sleeping. 


	3. Cruel Summer

Day two of camp went surprisingly smooth for Mickey. They ate breakfast and Mickey managed to keep his elbows off the table. Then they went about their planned activities, including sports, arts and crafts, and having the kids put on little skits together with the older kids to help everyone bond. 

By day three, Ian and Mickey were developing a nice routine with their cabin and with each other. Ian seemed to have kept his word about staying hush regarding Mickey working in the kitchen, and in return, Mickey felt himself opening up to Ian in ways he didn’t even with his friends back home. They would let the kids run ahead to the showers and just chat as they walked behind the rugrats. 

_ “So your dad really was South Side?” _

_ “Yeah. He somehow got the brainiac gene and snagged a scholarship to MIT. He was determined to get out.” _

_ “Sounds like my brother Lip.”  _

_ “And now I’m following in his footsteps, I guess.” _

_ “Is that what you want?” _

_ “Pops says I’m too young to know what I want.”  _ They had made it to the showers so Ian couldn’t ask about that. 

Also, Mickey already had fifty million nicknames for Ian, mostly based on the color of his hair and a few on his personality. His personal favorite and Ian’s least favorite was Sleeping Beauty. Mickey was quickly learning that as chipper as Ian could be during the day, he was  _ not  _ a morning person.

“Hey, Sleeping Beauty,” Mickey teased on day five, “wakey wakey,” he called from where he sat up in his own bed, rubbing the tired out of his eyes. Ian had his first OD session with a counselor named Katie the night before and had gone to bed later than the first few days, and was certainly feeling its effects. 

“Mmmm” was all Mickey received in response from the red head. 

Most of their boys were already down in the bathrooms at the end of the boy’s block brushing their teeth for the day - hopefully. “C’mon man, it’s a big day, “ Mickey encouraged, nudging Ian’s shoulder with his hand. 

“It is?” Ian asked against the pillow, eyes blinking open for the first time that day. Mickey thought they looked really green against the white pillow case. 

Mickey cleared his throat and looked around the cabin, “Yeah man, pool’s opening today.” Typically the pool was open the first day but it needed some maintenance and was just opening up today. 

That seemed to get Ian’s attention, and he sat up abruptly. “I totally forgot!” He exclaimed, looking around for his bathing suit in his duffle bag. “No one, loves swim days like I do.”

True to his word, as soon as it was their age group’s turn for the pool, and all their boys were sun blocked up, Ian was the first up on the diving board, jumping into the pool with a huge, “WHOOP!” shaking his head like a wet dog when he surfaced. “You gotta get in here guys,” Ian continued, swimming over to the edge where Mickey was standing by a pool lounger.

“You’re a child, Gallagher!” Mickey teased, taking his time to take off his shirt and flip flops, content to just sit on the edge with his feet dangling in. 

“It’s summer camp, Mick, and we’re in the prime of our life,” Ian boasted, “gonna enjoy it while I can!”

Mickey had to admit, Ian and the rest of the counselors and kids in the pool looked like they were having a good time. “Alright,” Mickey conceded, just give me a minute to adjust.” It was still June so the sun hadn’t had a chance to warm the pool water yet. 

“Nope,” Ian said and before Mickey had a chance to realize what was happening, Ian’s hands were on his legs, pulling him all the way in. 

Mickey sputtered as he came up for air, “You bastard!” Mickey had heard someone make something akin to a high pitched yelp when he was pulled in, but he chose to believe it wasn’t him.

Ian laughed triumphantly, but it was short lived as Mickey was on him in a second, dunking him in revenge. That started a full out play water war between them, limbs completely tangled seeing who could get the best of the other. 

The kids even started cheering for their favorite counselor, most screaming Ian’s name predictably but even through the yelling, Mickey could make out Aidan’s little voice yelling out his own name. It felt good to have someone cheering for him. 

The pool war was broken up by the buzzkill of a lifeguard with a double whistle blow and warning to set a better example for the campers. Ian and Mickey let up easily, laughing as they swam away from each other to go play with the kids like they were supposed to. 

Mickey headed to the shallow end for a breather and was immediately greeted by Aidan who latched onto him like a monkey, Mickey’s arm going under his butt instinctively to support him. Aidan was already pretty light, but in the pool he was practically a feather. 

“Did you hear me cheering for you, Mickey?” Aidan squealed, arms wrapping tighter around the back of Mickey’s neck, smiling bright, waiting for praise from someone he looked up too. 

“Sure did, kid,” Mickey smiled back. He wouldn’t admit it, but the kid that had driven him up the wall when they first met was slowly growing on him. 

And Mickey was certainly growing on Aidan. The kid had been doing better at talking to some of the older kids, but still, they all were at least a year older in their cabin and in kid years that might as well have been a century. So he preferred to stick with Mickey when possible, and Mickey was learning he really didn’t mind. 

“Can you take me to the bathroom, I have to potty!” Aidan asked, wide eyes as if he had just realized it and it was already an emergency. Kids. 

“Yes,” Mickey readily agreed not wanting to get peed on. He waddled over to the stairs, with Aidan on his hip still, and followed behind as the little boy fast walked over to the bathroom, holding his crotch, abiding by the no running near the pool rules. 

“All done,” Aidan bounced happily to the sinks. 

“Did you flush? I didn’t hear a flush?” Jesus Christ, who was he turning into?

Aidan pouted and stalked back to the stall to flush and then back out to wash his hands. 

It was when Aidan reached up to reach for the faucet with his arms outstretched and stomach taut that Mickey noticed the shadows. First one then another. And then he realized they weren’t shadows. They were dark yellowing bruises. 

“What is that, Aidan?” Mickey asked feeling immensily idiotic after the words left his mouth as he knew what they were, but he found himself moving closer to Aidan. 

“What’s what?” the boy asked, oblivious. 

“How did you get these bruises on your stomach?” Aidan immediately curled in on himself, arms crossed and head down as soon as Mickey asked. Mickey had enough experience with bruises to be scared of the answer.

Aidan shrugged. 

“You have to tell me, Aidan. Did someone hit you?” It’s like the stupid questions couldn’t stop rolling out of his mouth. Of course someone hit him. Or more likely kicked him it looked like. 

“No! I just fell. I swear,” Aidan yelled, trying to back away from Mickey. 

‘What did you fall on?”

Aidan just shrugged again, “I don’t know.” Now the kid looked on the verge of tears, bottom lip quivering as he spoke. 

“Hey, hey, bud, it’s okay. I won't hurt you. You just gotta tell me who did hurt you so we can keep you safe,” Mickey tried to sooth, to get him to open up. 

And with that reassurance, Aidan was running into Mickey’s arms, head in his neck. “I can’t,” he mumbled, “I’ll get in trouble.”

“You won’t Aidan, I promise,” the counselor whispered running his hand softly up and down the little blonde boy’s back, not wanting to cause any more pain than he was probably feeling already. 

Aidan sniffed twice and finally let the words out into Mickey’s neck, wet and snotty, “My daddy.”

Mickey sucked in a sharp breath of air at the answer he was pretty confident he was going to get from the moment he saw the bruises. Why were there so many piece of shit dads in the world?

After letting Aidan sob into his shoulder for a few minutes, Mickey pulled back to put some space between them. “Aidan, I need to tell the camp director about this so she can get some help for y--”

“NO!” Aidan screamed pulling away from Mickey fully only to shove his little hands into his chest. Mickey’s eyes went wide, he hadn't ever seen that side of Aidan before. He’d always been sickly sweet and gentle. ‘You can’t tell anyone, you have to promise!”

Mickey shook his head. “I can’t do that Aidan. It’s not okay that you are getting hurt at home.”

And Aidan was back to gentle, throwing his arms around Mickey, holding on tight for dear life it seemed. “Please Mickey Mouse, don’t tell anyone, it will just be more bad if you do. My daddy will get so mad,” he whimpered into his neck. 

Mickey was torn. On one hand he knew he couldn’t just do nothing and let this little boy go back to a home where he was being abused, but on the other hand, Aidan put his trust in Mickey. He was probably the first person he told about his dad, and now he was going to go breaking that trust by blabbing his secret. He needed some help. 

“Okay, Aidan, okay. Okay. What if we just get Ian and just tell him for now okay? Ian’s from our cabin and we can trust him right? We like Ian.”

Aidan pulled his head back and knitted his eyebrows together, absentmindedly playing with Mickey’s hair while thinking over the proposition before finally nodding quickly. 

Mickey breathed a sigh of relief that he wouldn’t have to figure this out on his own. “Okay, stay right here and I’ll be right back.”

Aidan nodded and went to sit down on one of the benches on the locker room side of the bathroom as Mickey went and stepped back out into the bright sunshine, full of counselors and campers splashing and laughing. 

Even wet, Ian’s red hair had him standing out like the sharp pencil in a bin of dull ones. Mickey lightly jogged over to where Ian was playing with a couple boys in their cabin. “Ian!” Mickey yelled. 

Ian looked up instantly at the sound of Mickey calling his name. It didn’t sound like the way he usually said it, light and airy- it sounded panicked and rushed. 

“Mick?” Ian slowly extricated himself from the arms of the kids and swam to the edge of the pool. “Everything alright?”

Mickey just shook his head then gestured for him to get out and follow. 

Ian was hot on his tail, trying to get an answer out of Mickey. “What’s going on, Mickey? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

As they hit the bathroom door, Mickey came to an abrupt stop, Ian running into his back and then backing up. “This stays between us three okay? At least for now.”

“Three? What?”

“Just say okay.”

Ian waited a few beats, seeing if Mickey would cave and give up some information. It was a no go. “Fine, I swear,” he huffed. 

Mickey led him to the lockers where Aidan was sitting, arms back to the criss cross over his torso. 

“Is everything alright, Aidan?” Ian asked sitting next to him on the bench and looking back and forth between him and Mickey. 

Aidan just shook his head no and slowly lifted his arms for Ian. 

_ Huuuh.  _ Ian’s breath came out as a loud grunt, before he was able to school his face. 

Mickey motioned for Ian to get up and come to him and whispered in his ear, “Kid’s fuck head of dad has been using him as a punching bag,” before going back to sit down.

Ian looked over Aidan’s body more carefully, “Has it happened more than one time?”

Aidan hung his head but nodded. 

“Mick, I know what I said out there, but we gotta tell Lucille about this.”

“No!” Aidan yelled again. “We can’t! And Mickey said we didn’t have to tell anyone but you!”

Ian gave Mickey glare that said,  _ Why would you tell a six year old that? _

Mickey just shrugged helplessly. He had never been in this situation with another kid before. 

“I’m sorry, Aidan, but I think me and Mickey can agree  _ now _ that this is serious.”

Aidan was shaking his head fervently, “No. No. If you tell, then I’ll have to go back to The Fosters.” He was crying again, tears running down his pale cheeks. 

Ian and Mickey shared a confused glance. “Who are The Fosters, kid?” Mickey asked. 

Aidan took a few deep breaths and answered, “These people. I have to go live with them when they take me away from my daddy.”

Mickey was still confused but Ian understood right away, “Oh, do you mean foster care?”

Aidan nodded and leaned into Ian’s shoulder. “Please don’t make me go back.” Where abusive parents was Mickey’s soft spot, foster care was Ian’s. Before Fiona had gotten custody of them, he and his siblings had been in one too many foster homes that were no better than a mattress on the floor and strung out foster parents in it for the money. 

Ian sighed a long sigh and looked at Mickey who was giving him a  _ Now you see how I couldn’t say no to this kid,  _ look.

“Alright. For the summer at least, okay? We’ll revisit it later.”

“Thank you, Ian,” Aidan wrapped his arms around Ian in a tight hug and then bounded off the bench to where Mickey was leaning against some lockers putting his arms up. Without missing a beat, Mickey scooped him up into his arms protectively, giving Ian a nod in thanks.

Yeah. The boy was growing on him. Both boys. 

As for Ian, his heart absolutely melted at the sight. Each day was a treat for him, seeing Mickey become more and more loving with the kids. Each day it seemed less like he was here because he was forced to, and more like he wanted to be here. Ian liked that alot. Mickey wasn’t stuck in his ways, he was open to change.    
  


______________________________________________________________________

The rest of the day was far less eventful and before they knew it they were saying good night to their cabin full of exhausted boys and heading down to the meeting. 

Mickey was emotionally exhausted from the day, but still had to go help Uncle Ronnie in the kitchen and thanked his lucky stars that the meeting was short. 

Ian watched him sneak out the side door as soon as Lucille adjourned the meeting. He wanted to follow and make sure he was okay since they hadn’t had a chance to talk since the pool, but Kiki plopped down next to him for a chat. 

“Hey stud,” she teased.

Ian blushed every time. Four summers ago, before Ian was out, Kiki had asked him to be her date to the end of camp dance. He politely explained that he was totally cool with going with her but that he wasn’t going to be kissing her during the slow dance. Kiki was mortified, but it was Kiki so she was quickly over it and on to joking about her gay boyfriend by the next summer. 

“What’s up Keeks? Barely saw you today.”

“Oh, nothing… Saw you fooling around in the pool with the new guy today. You guys becoming friends or something? 

“Yeah. Maybe we are.” Kiki rolled her eyes at him. “We share a cabin. Am I supposed to hate the guy all summer ‘cause he messed up one camp tradition. He’s really not that bad once you get to know him. You just got a bad impression. It was his first day and he was probably on edge,” Ian tried to placate. He was growing closer with Mickey as the days wore on and didn’t want to spend the next two months defending him to all the other counselors. 

“I don’t know, he just seems… hostile.”

“Don’t be so dramatic Keeks. Trust me, he’s cool. 

“Ok,” kiki rolled her eyes, “whatever you say.” 

After a beat of silence, Ian quickly excused himself from the couch and made his way to the same side door Mickey had slipped out of. 

He quickly found himself tugging open the door to the dining hall, hoping Mickey was working tonight. He really wanted a chance to talk to him before they went to bed. 

He smiled when he saw his co behind the kitchen counter, hair in a hairnet, slicing muffins into halves and putting them in baskets for the morning. 

“Hey,” Mickey greeted as he looked up, “what are you doing here?” Ian hadn’t been back for a night snack since that first night. 

“Came for a snack,” Ian half lied as he grabbed a half a muffin while Mickey batted his hand away, “and to see you.”

“Me?”

Ian nodded. “Just wanted to, ya know, see if you were alright after today.”

Mickey looked anywhere but at Ian’s eyes. He wasn’t used to people caring about him. “You didn’t have to that.”

Ian shrugged his shoulders, “That’s what friends are for.”

Uncle Ronnie came in through the door that connected the kitchen to the outside, lugging a huge bag of hamburger buns for the next day. “Oh, hey Ian!” Ronnie exclaimed, dropping the bag of buns on the kitchen island. “Here for a snack?”

“Uh yeah, and to hang with Mickey, if it’s okay?”

“Of course, I love that my boy is making friends,” Ronnie laughed. “Actually, Mick,if you just finish up the muffins, then you can head off for the night.”

Ian smiled at that and Mickey nodded in thanks. 

They chatted lightly for the next few minutes while Mickey finished halving the muffins and filling the baskets while simultaneously slapping Ians hand away every time he reached for one. 

“Jeez, Gallagher, the muffins are for breakfast.”

“I’m hungry now,” Ian play whined like their kids did when they didn’t get their way. 

“So have an apple,” Mickey deadpanned, pointing to the fruit stand by the condiments that stayed out 24/7 for hungry campers and counselors to have a healthy snack. 

Ian pouted, resting his elbows on the counter and his chin in his hands. “This is why the other counselors think you’re mean.”

“Good thing I don't care what the other counselors think,” Mickey threw back as he cleaned up his area and made his way to the front of the counter. “Let’s go.”

They made their way out of the mess hall and down to the area where the paths to the bunks started when Ian got an idea. “You wanna go down to the lake? Have you seen it yet?”

Mickey shook his head. His cabin’s first lake time would be next week according to their schedule. “Lead the way, Red.”

Ian smiled and lead them down to the edge of the campsite that sat Lake Kiabi, the campground’s namesake. 

“Wow,” Mickey breathed as the water started to appear through the trees. 

“It’s gorgeous,” Ian agreed. “I like to come here some nights for the quiet.” 

They walked along the old wooden dock until they got to the very edge. Ian kicked of his flip flops and sat down on the edge, legs and feet dangling above the water. The water wasn’t high enough this summer to touch his feet, but he liked to feel the cool breeze between his toes. 

Mickey followed suit, but left his shoes on sitting next to Ian and looking out at the water. 

“So,” Ian started, not sure how to broach the subject. “You okay with everything that happened today?”

Out here on the lake, where it was just the two of them, Mickey felt like he could talk to Ian in ways he didn’t talk to other people. “You think we made the right decision?” Mickey finally answered after a bout of silence. 

“Honestly, I don’t know. I mean I have shitty parents but I don’t know what it was like to have abusive ones. I did filter through my share of foster homes, though. My siblings and I.” Ian liked that Mickey had turned his head and was now looking right at him. It felt like he was really interested in listening to him. “And some of them were, were just really fucking awful and I don’t want Aidan, or any kid to have to go through that. So, I don’t know if it was the right decision. But at least I get to know that for the next 11 weeks, Aidan doesn’t have to worry about anyone hurting him or living with people that forget to feed him. And that makes me happy.” 

Mickey took in everything Ian said, and it made sense. At least at Camp Kiabi, Aidan was safe. “Yeah, and hey, I didn’t say it earlier, but thanks, ya know, for helping with him. I’m way out of my league here with all these ankle biters.”

Ian bumped shoulders with Mickey, “I think you’re doing better than you think. You got Aidan to open up and trust you, and you’ve helped him make friends. The other kids in the bunk love you too.” Mickey had never been so happy for the dark night because he was sure he was blushing under the praise. He didn’t hear much praise back home. “And hey, we’ll work on the other counselors,” Ian teased to lighten the mood. 

Mickey chuckled but secretly thought having Ian as his friend this summer was good enough for him. 

They looked out onto the lake again watching the wind cause ripples along the top. Hopefully the summer weather would pick up when July hit. 

“I’m hungry,” Mickey mumbled after a bit.

“Well go have an apple,” Ian teased in his best Mickey impression. 

Mickey laughed even though he tried his best not too. “Okay first, that sounds nothing like me. And second,” Mickey produced a ziplock bag from his hoodie pocket containing a few slices of muffin, smiling at the flabbergasted look on Ian’s face. 

“Hey! You totally yelled at me for stealing muffins when you’re the worst of all!”

“Yeah, well I’m kitchen staff so I get freebies.” Mickey mumbled around a mouth of chocolate chip muffin, crumbs falling out of his mouth. Ian found himself staring at the plump pink lips with chocolate smudges. 

“Gonna share?” Ian asked, shaking himself off before Mickey could notice and giving his co-worker his best face splitting smile.

“Such a dork,” Mickey shook his head but handed the bag of muffins to Ian. 


	4. I Got a Feeling on this Summer Day

Ian Gallagher had a problem. A major problem. Week two of camp rolled in with a punch and with it came his realization that he was developing a massive crush on his co-counselor, Mickey. 

He would never have thought that the grumpy counselor that didn’t seem to want to be here or talk to anyone would be the one guy he couldn’t get off his mind, but he was. They had only been in camp for a week and a half but Ian noticed a huge change in Mickey. 

Maybe he didn’t have any experience with kids or helping others but it was clear as day that Mickey wasn’t as tough as he pretended to be. 

Ian was quickly getting to know the real Mickey that the other counselors weren’t. 

For starters, Ian adored the way Mickey was so attentive with little Aidan. He could tell Aidan had been driving Mickey up the wall the first couple of days with his questions and neediness, but now it seemed like they were two peas in a pod. 

From piggy back rides down to breakfast, to helping Aidan make s’mores at the campfire, and everything in between. 

And somewhere along the way, Mickey designated himself Aidan’s protector. The way Mickey handled Aidan’s abusive home situation did things to Ian’s heart. Seeing the trust the two boys put in each other and the way Mickey scooped him up so lovingly made Ian see Mickey as a beacon of light in their cabin. It was a far cry from the counselor who Ian watched begrudgingly carry Aidan off the bus the day they arrived. 

Not only was Mickey getting better and better with the kids, but Ian applauded his work effort. A lot of 18-year-olds would throw a fit to have to put in extra work in the kitchen, but not Mickey. He completed his shifts with a good attitude, and Ian loved going to visit him in the dining hall late at night. 

He loved the times where they were away from the other kids and counselors and truly got to talk. He felt like Mickey’s wall would come down ever so slightly each time it was just the two of them. He’d learned more about Mickey’s dad and even his mom and sister Mandy. How Terry was a force and they all just kind of did what he wanted. It was easier that way. Ian really enjoyed how only people he trusted got to see the softer side of him. 

Not only that, but Ian was coming to the realization that Mickey Milkovich was majorly hot. As the days wore on, he found himself having to tear his eyes away from him when he was changing in the cabin. He’d seen that ass in boxer briefs enough times to know he wanted so badly to touch it. And not to mention those lips, puffy and pink and perfectly biteable. He hated having to settle on just watching Mickey bite down on his own lips when he was thinking and not get to be involved with the biting himself. 

Yep, it was safe to say Ian had developed feelings for his co-counselor. 

Which brings us back to the major problem. Mickey was a boy. Ian had a crush on a boy. Now that was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary for Ian. But Mickey. Well Ian had only known the man for a short time and had no idea which way he swung. But based on his gruff attitude and profane knuckle tattoos, Ian had a feeling it wasn’t looking good for him. 

“Jeez! Look alive, Gallagher!” Mickey’s yell and the basketball whooshing past his head had Ian immediately alert. They were playing basketball with some of the kids during free time and he had apparently zoned out on the court. But it was hard not to with Mickey running around the court in a white wife beater, basketball shorts that hugged his ass just right, and sweat dripping off his hair. To be quite honest, Ian found himself daydreaming about Mickey alot lately, in all different types of situations. 

The counselor playing referee blew his whistle and everyone scrambled for a water break. 

Ian went off to the side and bent down for his water bottle trying to get his head back in the game. They were playing with the older kids who would definitely give him shit if he missed his shots. When he stood back up, Mickey was in front of him chugging his own bottle. 

Ian quickly looked away as it stirred up images that were not camp appropriate.

“What’s with you today?” Mickey asked. “Where’s the Kobe I know and love?”

Ian huffed a laugh, unable to keep from looking back at Mickey. The sweat dripping down his face had Ian’s stomach and things below his stomach stirring. 

“Yeah, yeah, everyone has an off day,” Ian replied with a white lie. He had a reputation around the camp for his skills on the court and he wasn’t going to tell the person of his affections that the reason he sucked ass today was because he couldn’t stop thinking about him. “You still can’t block me for shit, though, Shorty.” Ian teased right back. Not one to take it without giving it back. 

“Hey! Sorry we can’t all be born ginger giants,” Mickey gruffed lightly crossing his arms and looking up and down at Ian. Ian thought he made for an adorably grumpy man. “Besides, what I lack in height and make up for in power.” And Mickey flexing his defined biceps and then fake shooting a hoop almost did Ian in. 

“Alright tough guy, whatever you say,” Ian joked back, shaking his head. He loved the way they could just shoot the shit and bust each others balls constantly. Mickey simultaneously had him always laughing and always on his toes. 

The referee blew the whistle again, signaling the players to come back, so Ian took one last swig of his water. 

And call him crazy, but Ian  _ swore _ he saw Mickey’s eyes linger on his lips at little too long. Maybe there was hope after all. 

_________________________________________________________________   
  


Three weeks into camp and the co-counselors had certainly developed a rhythm. Their cabin was bonded and all the kids adored both Ian and Mickey. Every night before lights out, Ian would tell a story to the kids, either real from his childhood at Camp Kiabi or a made up fairytale type. He would even rope Mickey into helping him tell the made up ones, much to the grumpy teen’s dismay. But yet, he always picked up the story where Ian left off, talking for a few minutes before passing it back to Ian to wrap it up. 

Without fail, Ian would noticed Mickey leaning against the cabin door and smiling to himself ever so slightly as he wrapped up his stories. Sort of like he wished could have been a part of them or a part of Ian’s childhood. At least that’s how it seemed to Ian. But it could have just been wishful thinking. 

They would walk down to the meeting together, always dragging their feet at the end to keep their easy conversations going. Whether it was about their home life or something funny one of the campers had said that day, they never ran out of things to talk about. 

And then when the meetings were over, and Mickey didn’t have to go help his Uncle, Ian started inviting him to hang out with his friend group. 

_ “C’mon, man. I know they don’t like me.” Mickey had said the first time Ian invited him to play a card game with his friends.  _

_ Ian shook his head adamantly, “That’s not true! They just don’t know you yet.” _

_ “Fine, what game ya playing?” Mickey acquiesced.  _

_ Ian smiled and brought him over to his friends.  _

But it was the nights when Mickey  _ did _ have to help his Uncle Ronnie in the kitchen that were Ian’s favorites. He liked that Mickey was getting along better with his friends, but he loved when it was just the two of them shooting the breeze while Mickey prepped food for the next day. Ian had even taken to helping Mickey out most of the time so the shift would go by faster and the two boys could just hang around after. 

Tonight was one of those nights. The boys were stuffing corn tortillas and lining them in pans for tomorrow’s lunch. “That was some good shit tonight at dinner,” Mickey smirked knowingly as he scooped the rice and bean mix onto a tortilla.

Ian rolled his eyes. “You’re such an asshole.” Mickey had taken great pride in calling Ian out at dinner for having his elbows on the table, and enjoyed watching the long legged freak skip around the room, high fiving the kids as he went. Ian definitely took it way better than Mickey had. Mickey probably would not have thrown such a fuss if it hadn’t felt like the other counselors were picking on the new guy on his very first day. Luckily getting an in with Ian and hanging out with them after meetings occasionally had started to ease the tension between Mickey and the other counselors. 

“That was some damn good skipping, I gotta say,” Mickey continued his teasing. “Best I ever saw. Really. Truly. Like a little girl on a playground type stuff.” And now Ian was cracking up. This was his favorite side of Mickey. Smile lighting up his face, looking totally open and unguarded. Ian lived for the little crinkles around his eyes when he was truly laughing. 

Eventually the boys finished prepping the enchiladas and were let go by Ronnie. He handed them their usual bag of leftover sweets from the day and they headed out of the dining hall to get into trouble. “Hey! Let’s go swimming in the lake tonight!” Ian suggested as they hit the point of the path that either led down towards the brush and then lake or the cabins. 

“I don’t wanna trek all the way up to the cabin for our suits and back down though,” Mickey shook his head. 

“Nah it’s fine!” Ian had an idea. Hopefully Mickey was on board. “We’ll just swim in our boxers, it’s basically the same.” Ian hoped he didn’t sound overly eager to see Mickey wet and in his boxers. He saw him in his boxers in the cabin of course. But wet with his boxers hugging his ass would be a sight for sore eyes.

Fortunately, Mickey was easily persuaded as the weather was finally heating up as July hit and a dip in the water sounded nice. “Sounds good.” He agreed as they headed down the path to the lake.

They dropped their clothes and the bag of treats on the dock and jumped in. 

Ian went first with a huge cannonball, water splashing Mickey’s legs. “Fucker!” Mickey screamed as the cold water surprised him, but recovered quickly and jumped in himself, tackling Ian down under the water. 

Ian came back up laughing and sputtering water out of his mouth, shoving Mickey’s shoulders back. That was the start of another of their many water wars they had had so far this summer. Roughhousing and dunking each other until they were out of breath. 

“That all you got, huh?” Mickey taunted as Ian swam in circles around him looking ready to go in for the kill. 

“You ain’t seen nothing yet.” Ian circled around Mickey getting closer and closer. Before he could stop himself, his eyes were falling down to Mickey’s wet pink lips and then back up to his eyes. 

And suddenly it was quiet. The wind had stopped, the sound of the birds were gone and it was just the two of them, getting closer and closer. And then Ian saw it. Mickey looking at his lips too. It was just for a second but he was certain he saw it. This was his chance -- “SHIT!” Ian yelped as Mickey splashed him in the eyes just as he had started to lean in. 

“Never let your guard down, Red!” Mickey reprimanded as he swam away and back over to the dock for a break, hiking himself up by his arms onto the wood. Ian watched with lustrous eyes as his biceps bulged perfectly to support him. This boy would be the death of him. 

They sat side by side on the edge of the dock, legs dangling, just as they had the first time they’d come to the lake late at night. It was slowly becoming their spot. Mickey extended the bag of sweets as a peace offering as he bit into a cookie of his own. Ian happily grabbed a handful of cookies, brownies and muffins. Swimming made him hungry. 

Mickey chuckle snorted. Ian acted like a five year old sometimes the way he got so excited about things like cookies. “How are you always eating so much dessert with me, yet you look like  _ that _ ?” Mickey immediately blushed as soon as those regretful words left his mouth and Ian looked over at him eyebrows raised and a smirk.

“And what do I look like Mick?”

“N-no, I just mean. You just obviously are in shape and stuff... Don’t make it a gay thing man.” Mickey shook his head trying to explain the comment away. To be entirely honest, he wasn’t sure why he had said it. 

Ian’s shoulders slumped at that. He couldn’t have been sure, but he had thought there might have been something between the two of them lately. A spark. Like in the lake a few minutes earlier. But if Mickey didn’t want an innocent comment to come off gay, he probably was totally straight. 

“Well hard for me to not make stuff gay, ya know?” Even if Mickey wasn’t gay, he wanted him to know that he was. He hoped he was okay with that type of thing. 

“What do you mean?”

“Well. Since  _ I’m  _ gay and all. 

Mickey's eyes went wide then back to normal quickly, “Oh. Ok.”

And that was that. Ian laughed at the simplicity of it all. Even if there was no hope and he had to keep crushing from afar, he was glad Mickey didn’t have a problem with it. 

________________________________________________________________________

It was a few days later that Ian decided that no, he actually couldn’t keep crushing from afar. He was being driven mad by his ever growing feelings for Mickey and what he swore were signs that Mickey was into him too. When Ian told Mickey that he was gay, Mickey hadn’t really said anything about himself being gay as well,  _ but _ he also didn’t say he wasn’t gay. And to Ian, that sliver of hope was enough to hold on to. He had to do something to figure out if he had a chance with the brooding, smoking hot dark haired boy that slept 4 feet away from him every night. Maybe there wasn't hope. But Ian Gallagher was nothing if not persistent and he was damn sure going to find out one way or another before it drove him to an early grave. And he knew just the person to help him. 

“Hey, Keeks!” Ian plopped down on the stairs that led from the mess hall to the main open camp space. She was sitting there watching some of her girls jump rope. 

“Hey, Babe,” she answered slinging her arm around Ian’s shoulder, “How's it going? Still daydreaming to death about Captain Grumpy?” Ian had finally spilled the beans to her a few days ago when he kept zoning out during their conversations. But her giving Mickey any type of nickname meant she was actually warming up to him, and that warmed Ian’s heart. 

“Yes,” Ian groaned into her shoulder. “But I swear Kiki, he’s giving me so many signs.”

Kiki lifted an eyebrow at him skeptically. Ian had been going on and on about these “signs”, but she had yet to see them when she was around the two. 

“Don’t give me that look! I’m telling you, he takes longer and longer to change clothes like he  _ wants _ me to look at him. I have definitely seen him looking at  _ me  _ when I change too.”

“Okay, but is he checking you out or just that thing that dudes do when they wanna compare themselves against other guys.”

“Ughhh,” Ian let out. “Well I thought it was checking me out ‘til now.”

Kiki grimaced, “Sorry.” 

“Why is this so complicated. I wish I could just ask him if he’s gay and if he likes me.”

“Okay, no. That’s weird and then it would be awkward for the rest of the summer. Bad plan, Ian.”

“And again, I say, uggghhhh.”

They were quiet for a few minutes stewing in their thoughts to the rhythmic beat of the jump rope hitting the dirt ground until Kiki gasped. “I got it!”

“Got what?

“How we can find out if Mickey likes you back.”

_____________________________________________________________________

As soon as Lucille called the meeting to a close, Kiki was up and out of her seat. “Nobody move!” Kiki was somewhat of a leader amongst the counselors so everyone turned to look at her. “Time for our second counselor after hours bonding game!” She squealed. The first had been during week two and they played truth or dare. Ian was bummed Mickey had to work during that one. 

“Yes!” Nathan, a blonde counselor cheered at the same time as the rest of the counselors sat up straighter to listen to what game Kiki wanted them to play.

Kiki smiled a wicked smile and produced a deck of cards from her back pocket dropping the cards up and down in her hand like a Vegas dealer. “Tonight my friends, we are playing Suck and Blow.”

“The fuck is that?” Mickey asked as everyone around him jittered with excitement. Except Ian sitting next to him. Ian seemed nervous for some reason. “You okay, man?” Ian nodded and Mickey couldn’t probe because Kiki was speaking again.

“Well, my friend,” Kiki winked in Ian’s direction. Something was going on. “It’s another one of our camp traditions that I’m sure you’ll love.” 

“Oh great,” Mickey mumbled, more lightheartedly than he would have week one. 

“So for all new counselors, and if you somehow haven’t seen Clueless, here’s how the game works. We stand in a circle, and I’ll pick names out of a hat to see where you stand. Then we pass around one card, BUT we do it with our mouths.” Kiki explained. “You blow to pass and suck to receive. Pretty simple “Anndddd,” Kiki drug out the word as she went behind one of the couches to pull something out of her backpack. “If you drop the card, you both take a drink of this,” She smiled holding up a bottle of vodka. 

The counselors whooped and hollered and fake reached for the bottle right away. Kiki then brought out a hat and Mickey could see small white pieces of paper filling it. “Okay stand in a circle next to who I tell,” she directed. 

“Hailey, Austin, Reggie, Brooke--” Everyone oohed and aahed at that because they all knew Reggie had it bad for Brooke. Brooke just blushed and went to stand next to him. “Hannah, Me, Nathan, Devin, Madison, Ian, Mickey, and Vanessa.”

Ian eyed Mickey wearily as he made his way to the circle, but didn’t noticed any apparent reaction at having been placed next to another boy. Ian knew what the plan was, but was suddenly feeling nervous. What if Mickey reacted badly, what if all these signs were just in his head? 

Kiki placed the bottle in the middle of the circle and pulled out one card from the deck. ‘I’ll start,” and again she winked at Ian. She had to make sure to start so she could choose the direction the card passed. She went to her left, blowing the card into Nathan’s mouth as he easily sucked it back. Then it went to Devin and Madison without a hitch. Well here goes nothing Ian thought. 

He sucked the card from Madison’s lips, almost dropping it just from nerves. That would have been a disaster for his plans. 

It felt like time was moving slow as he turned his body towards Mickey and looked him in the eye. Mickey was slowing leaning in to accept the card when Ian released his breath, the card tumbling to the ground. Ian’s lips were on Mickey’s before the card hit the floor, finally touching those soft lips he craved. And they were kissing back. Mickey’s lips were moving against his and he had never felt anything better in his life. It’s like they were two halves of a whole. It felt like heaven but Ian just had to go and put his hands on Mickey’s hips. 

“Shit!” Mickey pulled back with a gasp and wide eyes darting around the room. “Fuck!” he cursed backing away from Ian. 

“Mick--”

“I gotta go.” And Mickey was gone, running out of the lounge leaving a confused Ian behind. 


	5. Hot Boy Summer

“Mickey!” Ian hollered as he ran out of the lounge after him. He could see Mickey running, he was about 100 feet ahead of him. 

“Don’t follow me, Gallagher!” Mickey spat, not even bothering to look back. 

Ian was undeterred. His plan had failed miserably. He had crossed a line and now Mickey was pissed, but he needed to talk to him and explain himself. Fortunately, his long legs were no match for Mickey’s stalkier stature and he quickly caught up with him. 

“Mick, please let me explain,” Ian tried again, grabbing onto Mickey’s shoulder. 

Mickey pulled away from his touch immediately, changing his path. Ian followed right along. 

“Mick--”

“I don’t want to talk to you, Ian.” Mickey stood his ground, but having slowed to a fast walk, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Mickey needed to get away from Ian, to have a moment to process what just happened. Ian had kissed him. And he may have kissed him back. For a good ten seconds. 

Unfortunately, Ian was blocking the path to the basketball courts where he had been going, and he wasn’t going to go towards the dining hall where his uncle was sure to be or towards the bunks where the kids were. The only option left was to head down by the lake. He powered on, doing his best to ignore Ian’s pleas to talk behind him. 

Mickey stomped to the edge of the dock, actually considering jumping in when Ian followed right behind. “Mickey, please”

Mickey refused to turn around, “What part of leave me the fuck alone do you not understand, Gallagher?”

Ian took a tentative step closer. Only a foot of space between Ian’s front and Mickey's back now. “I just need to explain, please,” Ian begged. 

“Explain what? That was a real dick move back there.”

Ian moved microscopically closer, nodding in agreement, “It was. It was really fucking shitty and I shouldn’t have done that.” 

Ian saw Mickey’s shoulders slightly drop at his apology and it was good enough for him to power on with his explanation. “It’s just that, I like you Mickey, and, and I _ thought _ you liked me back.” Mickey’s shoulders tensed once again at those words but Ian was too far gone to stop now. “But I wasn’t totally sure if you did like me like me, and fuck, she said if you kissed me back that would mean you liked me!”

And at those words, Mickey finally spun around to face Ian for the first time since running out of the lounge. “She?”

Ian sensed he had fucked up and threaded carefully, “Yeah... Kiki.”

“You talked to Kiki about this shit and planned this?” Mickey seemed on the verge of getting pissed off again. 

“Yes, but only because that’s how much you’ve been driving me crazy. l’m so into you and I don't know what to do. I shouldn’t have done it like that and I’m sorry... but you did kiss me back.”

“The fuck I did.” 

“C’mon Mickey.”

“I ain’t gay!”

“Mickey you kissed me back and everyone saw!”

“Shut the fuck up Gallagher!” Mickey snapped, finger on Ian’s chest. 

Ian could tell he’d hit a nerve and took it back a notch. “It’s okay if you did kiss me Mickey. It’s not wrong.”

“What fucking planet do you live on?” Mickey mumbled shaking his head as he stepped back and sat on the edge of the dock, legs hanging over, suddenly defeated. 

Ian pushed a little more by slowing sitting down next to him, not too close, but not too far. “You did kiss me, right?”

Mickey just shrugged, looking down at the water, desperately wishing he had a rock to throw, just to distract himself from this conversation. “My dad says fags deserve to die.” Mickey blurted out of a moment of silence. Ian was slightly taken aback. He’d heard that kind of talk around the South Side but Mickey was North Side, a more progressive and liberal area. But then again, Mickey did mention his dad was originally from the South Side. 

“Do _ you _think that?” Ian chanced. It would break his heart not only if Mickey didn’t have feelings for him, but didn’t even think he was a good person or someone he wanted to hang out with anymore. 

Ian saw Mickey tuck his bottom lip under his teeth and then ever so minutely, shake his head side to side. _ No. _Ian breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

“Do you think you like me?” Ian asked quietly, needing to get answers. And at first Mickey repeated his previous answer by shrugging his shoulders. However, Ian waited him out, sensing their was more coming. And then, Mickey shook his head again. But this time, up and down. Just one quick nod, but it was there. _ Yes. _

Ian felt his own lips turning up, and cheeks turning red. 

“I’m glad.” Ian smiled out at the lake. “‘Cause I like you too, if I wasn’t clear,” he chuckled awkwardly. And when Mickey didn’t say anything back, Ian slowly inched his hand over to where Mickey’s was resting his on the dock, and drug his index finger over the top of Mickey’s hand. 

Mickey’s head shot to the side at the touch, locking eyes with Ian for the first time since his confession. His hand shook a little, but he didn’t pull it away. It felt nice. “I-I’ve never...done--”

“It’s okay,” Ian interrupted the stuttering boy. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” he assured. 

Mickey nodded his relief, as Ian continued to play with his hand, using more of his fingers this time. Mickey relished in the feeling of someone being gentle with him. 

“Can I ask you some questions though?” Ian asked. 

“Why not. Already pouring my fucking heart out to you,” Mickey griped. 

Ian was happy his grumpy and foul mouthed friend was returning. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, but have you liked other boys before me?”

Mickey pulled his hand out from under Ian’s and placed it back on top, this time playing with Ian’s hand. In moments of vulnerability he needed to hang onto some control. “I don’t think so.”

“Ok. What about girls, do you like girls?” Ian asked. 

Mickey’s eyebrows scrunched up in concentration, “I mean, I thought I did. I dated them and even slept with some; but maybe I just thought that’s what I was supposed to do,” Mickey answered honestly. “But maybe that’s not what I actually wanted.”

Ian nodded in understanding. He was pretty lucky to have an accepting family and friend group, but he definitely went through a phase of trying to be straight. “Have you thought other guys were attractive?”

“Well, yeah,” Mickey answered rather quickly. And then more quietly, “I think some dudes look good. But I thought that was just being appreciative of them.”

Ian busted out laughing at that, much to Mickey’s offense. “No, Mick that’s called being gay,” Ian managed to get out once he’d calmed himself down. 

“FUUCCKKK!” Mickey roared suddenly, making Ian jump a little. Mickey sighed after letting it out and turn to look at Ian. “I think I’m gay, Ian.”

Ian giggled at the bluntness of the statement and nodded his head. “Well that makes two of us then.” And feeling like it was okay now, Ian turned his hand over, and Mickey’s fingers automatically fell into place between his, and Ian held on tight. He was over the moon when he felt Mickey squeeze back. 

“So,” Ian continued, “Am I one of those dudes you think look good?”

“Nah, you look like a dork,” Mickey shot back without missing a beat. 

“Hey!” Ian exclaimed, using his free hand to reach over and shove at Mickey’s shoulder.

The dark haired boy just laughed and Ian would take all the insults in the world if it meant seeing Mickey’s genuine smile. But then Mickey got quiet, “You’re the best of them all,” he admitted. Mickey swallowed nervously waiting for Ian’s reply, not accustomed to telling people how he felt. But based on the grin Ian was now sporting, he’d done alright. 

“Ditto,” Ian teased, knocking shoulders with Mickey. 

And then it was quiet for a bit. Just the boys holding hands and looking out at the water and the night sky. It was a full moon tonight and Ian had Mickey’s hand in his. He couldn’t have asked for a more picturesque ending to the day. “Mick, I’m truly sorry for what I did earlier. It was stupid and wrong. Do you think you can forgive me?” Ian asked quietly, now the nervous one. 

“Yeah, Red, I forgive you.”

Ian beamed and squeezed Mickey’s hand, inching closer to him. “Is it alright if I kiss you right now?

Mickey hesitated, this was still new after all, but then nodded. Ian leaned in closer until their lips touched. Fire rushed through both their stomach’s at the contact. This was way better than the first time, Ian thought to himself as he started to move his lips against Mickey’s. Mickey moved his to match Ian, loving the taste of the redhead’s lips. 

Ian was more experienced and led the kiss further by cupping the back of Mickey’s head with one hand and his waist with the other. Mickey responded instantly by placing both his hands on Ian’s waist. Ian gave a slight nod without disconnecting their lips to let him know it was okay, and Mickey squeezed his waste harder in response. 

Ian pushed his tongue against Mickey’s puffy pink lips, and Mickey opened gently to let him in. Ian thought Mickey tasted even better on the inside, and Mickey thought the same about Ian. Their tongues swiped against each other as lips pulled on lips, until they finally had to come up for air. 

“Wow,” Mickey breathed when they pulled apart, faces still just an inch apart, breathing onto each other’s swollen lips. 

“Yeah.”

_______________________________________________________________________  


Things were good. Mickey was gay but things were good. It had been a couple days since the late night dock confessions and they hadn’t done anything more than sneak away a few times a day to make out. Surprising himself, Mickey was starting to feel like he wanted more of Ian. The last few make outs had gotten pretty steamy and in the aftermath Mickey would look down and see that they both had gotten pretty excited. 

Ian always seemed to end things before anything could go further. After Mickey told him it was his first time with a guy, Ian had been cautious with what they were doing. Mickey was appreciative of it but was now starting to get antsy for more. 

The other big problem was that there weren’t a whole lot of private areas on the campgrounds. Sure they had the lake, but anyone could walk up at any moment. Mickey was desperate to surprise Ian with a solution and knew just who to go to. 

“Hey, kid. Can you start on forming that bowl of meat into patties for me.”

“Sure, Uncle Ronnie,” Mickey easily obliged finding that he minded less and less helping out in the kitchen. He found cooking to be oddly relaxing for him. He dropped his phone and sweater on the counter, washed his hands and got to work. 

“So, Ronnie,” Mickey started as he pulled on latex gloves, “you know how Alvarez’s wife just had her baby and is gone for the rest of the summer?” Alvarez was one of the kitchen workers and his wife had gone into labor a few weeks early. The baby was fine but that meant he was gone for the summer, and with it being too last minute to find a replacement, the rest of the workers, including Mickey had to step it up. It also meant that it left an open room in the staff bungalows. 

The staff bungalows were different than the cabins the campers and counselors stayed in. It was a long row of standalone rooms, each with a bed and bathroom used for the higher ups like the camp directors, camp nurse, and the kitchen crew. 

“Yeah, he sent me a picture. Kid’s cute. In an alien sort of way.” 

Mickey let out a short laugh to amuse his uncle. “So...his room is just empty for the rest of summer?’ Mickey asked as nonchalanty as possible, keeping his eyes trained on the meat he was molding. 

“Pretty much,” his uncle replied succinctly, not having caught on to where Mickey was going. 

Mickey went in for the kill. “Anyway you could score your favorite nephew the key to that room?” His uncle whipped his head towards him, eyebrows raised. And now he had caught on. 

“You got a girl or something, Mikhailo?” He questioned suspiciously.

Mickey blushed and looked at his uncle then back down, “Something like that.” 

Ronnie sighed loudly, letting go of the spoon he was stirring with. “I don’t know, kid.” His uncle said. “I could get in a lot of trouble if they find out.”

“I’ll be careful as fuck,” Mickey pleaded. “There’s just no damn privacy at this camp.” 

“Ughhh,” His uncle groaned. And then after a minute, “I do have a copy of all the keys designated to kitchen staff in case of emergencies…”

If he wasn’t covered in raw meat, he would have hugged his uncle in that moment, but settled for banging his fists on the counter excitedly. “You’re the fucking best, Uncle Ronnie!”

“Uh, uh, uh,” his uncle smirked. “I did not say I would just give you the key.” Mickey’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion. “In exchange for the key, you have to be my assistant in the cooking elective that starts Monday.” Electives happened on Mondays and Wednesdays in the afternoon with three or four options available to the kids. The electives switched about halfway through the summer and next week was the start of the cooking elective. 

“Whattt?” Mickey groaned. 

“Alvarez was supposed to do it with me and no one else is volunteering.”

Mickey did like cooking, but did he want to help a bunch of rugrats with it? He really did want some alone time with Ian, and he knew it would impress Ian if he got them that key. “Fine. I’ll be there.”

“Great.” His uncle smiled smugly. “I’ll have the key for you tomorrow at breakfast.”

They worked in comfortable silence finishing out prepping tomorrow’s meals, before his uncle spoke up again, “Oh and by the way, you’re not my favorite nephew.”

Mickey looked up at his uncle with his eyebrows raised. 

“Iggy is.”

“Man shut the fuck,” Mickey guffawed at Ronnie’s obvious joke. Iggy wasn’t anyones favorite, especially not family who was forced to be around the airhead. 

______________________________________________________________________

And impressed Ian was. “Holy shit!” Ian whispered when the key actually unlocked the empty room the next night after their meeting ended. Mickey had told him about the key at breakfast but part of him didn’t believe it until he saw it. 

“Told ya,” Mickey smirked, as he held open the door for the red head and then followed him in, closing and locking the door behind him. 

The room was pretty bare with no one living there. Alvarez had taken all his stuff since he was now on paternity leave. Both boys scanned the room, taking in the double bed with a few blankets on it, the adjoining bathroom. Small but it would do for their purposes. Ian was the first to really move, making his way to the windows to close the blinds that had been left open. 

“Smart thinking,” Mickey huffed out but not having anything to add after that. He had gotten them alone in a room with a bed, but now he wasn’t entirely sure where to go from there. He was very new at this gay thing. 

“So,” Ian started, to Mickey’s luck, “We’re all alone.”

“Yup,” Mickey replied, popping his p.

Ian lightly kicked his foot back and forth on the floor deciding where to go from here. He knew Mickey was new at this and didn’t want to do anything to scare him off. “Wanna sit on the bed?” he finally asked. 

“Sure,” Mickey answered shyly, motioning for Ian to go first. He was totally out of his element and needed Ian to take the lead completely. Mickey sat next to Ian, leaving at least a foot of space between them. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden?

“Can I kiss you?” Ian blurted out. 

Mickey snorted. “You ain’t asked the past three days, but sure Firecrotch, you can kiss me.” Teasing Ian and seeing that blinding grin start was a sure fire way to calm his nerves a bit. 

“Well fuck me for being polite,” Ian smirked. 

And before Mickey could hit back, Ian had leaned in and his lips had closed in on Mickey’s. Mickey responded instantly. He had gotten more bold with his hand movements as the days wore on and had taken a liking to having one hand on the back of Ian’s head running through the silky red locks; and the other ghosting over Ian’s torso, occasionally dipping under the lower hem of his shirt for a little touch. 

But now he wanted more. Sure he was nervous being in this room alone with Ian, but once their lips touched, the anxiety dripped away. He let his hand trail under Ian’s shirt and up farther than he had before, ghosting over Ian’s nipple. The little gasp he felt against his lips in response was everything to him. He did it again and got the same response. He pulled back a little to glance at Ian. Looking Ian in the eyes was just as intense as kissing him sometimes. 

It seemed that Ian had a way of reading Mickey’s eyes, and Mickey the same for Ian. And right now, Ian’s eyes were questioning. Mickey gave just the slightest nod in answer but Ian knew it was there. 

Ian squeezed Mickey’s hand and then motioned for him to scoot up the bed, making sure their hands stayed connected. Ian thought he could stare at Mickey laying on his back, eyes wide for hours, but he crawled over his body anyways, letting about half his weight settle on him. “This okay?” he whispered. 

Mickey nodded as he felt Ian’s body mold to his, including his lips to his neck and hard cock to his thigh. This time it was Mickey’s turn to moan. 

Ian moved slightly to the left in response and this time ground down over Mickey’s cock. “Feels so good,” Mickey whined. 

“Wanna make you feel amazing, Mick,” Ian kissed up Mickey’s jaw and to his lips, before sitting up a little. He tugged at the hem of Mickey’s shirt until he lifted his back off the bed to allow Ian to pull it up and over his head. Ian then did the same with his own shirt. “Still okay?”

Mickey nodded and reached up for Ian, finally getting to fully feel his solid body. Ian smiled down at him as he let Mickey roam his hands up and down his body. He was more than happy to oblige the dark haired boy. But soon enough he had to get his lips back on his man, this time going straight for Mickey’s soft and taut stomach. He took it lower and lower, getting a giggle right around the belly button that he savored the sound of and saved it for later when they were apart. But after the belly button, Mickey’s soft giggles turned to sharp gasps as Ian approached his waistband. 

Another question in the eyes and another answering nod. Ian slowly used his fingers to pull down Mickey’s pants, making sure to do his own after. He wanted Mickey to feel comfortable and like they were on the same playing field. Ian put his hand over Mickey’s boxers and gently massaged his cock. Mickey’s eyes were wide with lust until it was too much and he had to close them. 

“I wanna suck you off, is that okay?” Ian asked, still working Mickey’s dick. 

Mickey just nodded and bit his bottom lip, opening his eyes up again because he had to see this. Ian took off his own boxers first, chuckling as Mickey’s jaw dropped. “Shit.” And then proceeded to take off Mickey’s and was equally as impressed as his counterpart. 

“Fuck, Mick,” Ian moaned, dropping his head close to it but not touching. Ian spit in his hand, because neither had lube and ran his hand up and down Mickey’s cock. 

“Yeaaah,” Mickey let out as he felt Ian’s big hand around his cock. Suddenly Ian was guiding Mickey’s hand to his cock and Mickey felt dumb for not having thought to participate. “Sorry. New at this,” he mumbled shyly as he started moving his hand the way that felt good on himself. 

“You’re good,” Ian assured him, panting more and more as Mickey worked him over. “Tell me if you want to stop at anytime, okay?”

Mickey nodded, relieved Ian was being so sweet and understanding with him. He didn’t have much time to dwell on it because Ian’s warm, wet mouth was suddenly wrapped around the head of his dick. “OH FUCK!” Mickey whined loudly. He thought Ian’s hand had felt good, but had no idea what was in store for him.

Ian pulled off a little chuckling, “Shhh, we have neighbors,” Ian reminded him. They had the room but there were other staff members sleeping in the rooms that shared walls with them. 

“Keep going,” Mickey whined, but quieter this time. Ian happily complied, licking up and down Mickey’s cock before taking it back in his mouth. Bobbing up and down to the rhythm of Mickey’s moans he was clearly stifling with his arm. In this position Mickey couldn’t reach Ian’s cock anymore but he was getting off on making Mickey feel this good. 

Ian swirled his tongue at the tip, feeling Mickey’s legs wrap around his upper back, keeping him in place. “Fuck, Ian. Fuck. I’m gonna come,” Mickey tried to warn, hand grasping at Ian’s red hair. But Ian didn’t let up, suctioning his lips harder as he bobbed, ready and willing to take what Mickey gave him. He didn’t have to wait long before Mickey shot down his throat with sob like noise. 

Mickey opened his eyes in time to see Ian’s throat contracting as it swallowed. “Holy fuck,” he whispered, hoarse from the whole experience. No one had ever swallowed his load before and he thought that had to be the hottest thing he’d ever seen. 

“Yeah,” Ian sighed with a loopy smile, sitting up in the process. He tried to crawl back up to Mickey but was stopped. “What’s wrong?”

“Isn’t it my turn?” Mickey asked innocently, flicking his eyes down to Ian’s still hard cock. 

“Oh. You don’t have to Mickey. Tonight was about you,” Ian assured him. 

“I want to,” Mickey answered back strongly. He truly needed Ian in his mouth. Ian wasn’t going to say no to that and laid back, switching positions with Mickey. Mickey was very confident until he was actually face to face with Ian’s cock. Literally. “You don’t--” 

And he was cut off with Mickey plunging his mouth over his cock and suddenly pulling up with a gag and coughing sounds. “Jeez, take it easy there, Tiger!” Ian ran his hand over Mickey’s shoulder. “Just go slow to start.” Ian could see Mickey blushing, but didn’t want him to feel embarrassed at all. For having just acknowledged his sexuality, Mickey was doing amazing. 

Mickey nodded shyly and tried again, following Ian’s instructions to start slow. He lapped at the tip and grinned as Ian settled his head back against the pillows. He felt braver and started bobbing up and down, just taking it about halfway. 

“Fuck you’re a natural, Mick,” Ian praised, hand in black hair. “Yeah, just like that,” he continued as Mickey sucked and swirled his tongue. It was not nearly as bad as he had once thought. In fact he enjoyed getting Ian hot and bothered. “So, so good,” Ian moaned. 

Mickey hmmphmed at his triumph on the cock, which caused vibrations throughout Ian’s dick. “Oh shit, oh shit. Listening to you got me all worked up. And now you’re perfect mouth on me. I might not last long,” Ian whined, shoving Mickey’s head further, which Mickey was more comfortable with now. Ian pulled his hair harder now that Mickey plopped off, “I’m gonna come, where do you want me to do it?”

“I wanna try,” Mickey answered needily. 

“Oh fuck.” Ian squeezed his eyes shut as Mickey was back on his dick sucking harder than before. And then his orgasm hit him hard, the white spots behind your eyes kind, and he could hear the satisfying sound of Mickey doing his best to swallow in between little coughs. When he opened his eyes, he could see Mickey licking the excess off his chin and hand. “Did I fucking die and go to heaven?”

Mickey chuckled, “Yeah. I’m heaven and don’t you forget it, bitch.” 

Ian grabbed for Mickey to lay on his chest and Mickey went along as they both lay there catching their breath. 

“You’re incredible, Mickey,” Ian praised to which Mickey blushed and buried his face deeper into Ian’s chest. 

After they both calmed down, Mickey broke the comfortable silence. “Ian?”

“Yeah?” 

“Have you told anyone here about us? Well, me, I mean. Being… ya know?”

Ian shook his head as best he could with it on a pillow, “No. I wouldn’t do that without talking to you first.” He could feel Mickey nod against him. “But no one here would care, just so you know.”

“Are there other people here like us?”

“Mmhmm,” Ian mumbled, running his hand up and down Mickey’s smooth back., Sophie has a girlfriend back home, Devin is gay, and Kiki is bi.”

“Oh.”

“See you have nothing to worry about.”

“Here at least.” 

Ian knew Mickey still had demons in the form of his father back home, but wasn’t sure anything he said right now could make it better. He just gave Mickey a tight squeeze and held onto him before they eventually had to return to the cabin and separate beds.


	6. Summertime Sadness

Mickey couldn’t wipe the smile from his face on the first day of cooking elective if he tried. A lot of kids, including Aidan, had chosen to do cooking and some even told him they would have chosen which ever elective he was working in. He was in awe that these kids actually liked him. Also, Ian was originally in the arts and crafts elective but had managed to get a friend to switch with him so he could be one of the support staff in cooking. 

“This is soooo cool, Mickey!” Aidan exclaimed as Mickey was reaching over him at the table to help even out the cheese the little boy was sprinkling onto his pizza. 

“So cool, right!” Mickey answered happily. He’d gotten much better at matching his enthusiasm to the kids as the summer went by. A few nights ago were the mid summer staff evaluations and that was one of many things Lucille had praised him for. 

“I’m going to be a pizza maker when I grow up!” Aidan continued, messy hands spreading his cheese. 

Mickey smiled, “You can be anything you want, kid.”

As Mickey stood back to survey the table of kids to see if anyone else looked in dire need of help, Ian sidled up to him, “You’re so good with kids, Mick.” 

Mickey blushed, “Eh, they’re just small people. A monkey could do it.” Deflection was his go to when he felt vulnerable. 

“Nope. You know that’s not true.”

Mickey just shrugged and got away by pretending another camper needed his help. 

Ian just smiled and watched Mickey in his element for the rest of the hour. 

“Slice?” Mickey asked, finally making his way back to Ian at one of the tables, after the kids were all settled and eating their freshly cooked pies. 

Ian looked at the offered cheese and olives slice and gladly accepted it from Mickey’s hand, loving he didn’t have to hide his excitement when their fingers brushed. “Yummeee,” Ian mumbled around a bite of cheesy goodness, causing Mickey to laugh and bump shoulders with him. Neither of them noticed Kiki watching them from afar. 

_________________________________________________________

“Hey, wait up!” Kiki called to the boys as they were just walking up the hill to the cabins to start their On Duty shift. It was halfway through the summer but this was the first time the boys had been paired together for a shift since it was assigned randomly. They were happy to get to spend the next two hours walking in the dark and talking. Just spending time chatting was enough for the boys to be happy. 

“What’s up, Keeks?” Ian asked as she caught up with them. 

“So, how’s it going boys,” she asked with a smirk, which Ian couldn’t place. 

“Good?” Ian replied confused. “We’re just heading up for OD.”

“Uh huh,” she nodded. “Anything you two want to tell me?”

“No?” Ian questioned.

“Really?”

“Jesus, just spit it out!” Mickey finally chimed in, tired of this cat and mouse game. 

“Fine,” Kiki relented. “You two are so obvious you know. I know you’re together!”

Ian and Mickey stopped in their tracks and looked at her, neither saying anything. 

“I see the way you interact, especially today in cooking. You two are smitten kittens.”

Ian looked and Mickey who gave him a slight nod, “Yes, Kiki we are together. You happy?”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Kiki explained, playfully hitting Ian on the back of the head. 

Ian looked at Mickey again and this time Mickey answered, “Well, I’m not really  _ out _ , ya know?”

“Ohh,” Kiki hummed before looking Mickey in the eyes, “You know no one here cares right?”

Mickey jabbed his thumb in Ian’s direction, “That’s what he said.”

“‘Cause it’s true, Mick,” Ian added, wrapping and arm around Mickey’s waste now that it was only the three of them around. He was happily surprised when Mickey didn’t pull away.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Mickey sighed. 

“Well we gotta head up, Keeks, okay?”

“Sure. See you tomorrow morning,” she said as she skipped away and left the boys to finish the walk up to the cabins. 

“You okay?” Ian asked after walking in silence for about five minutes. 

“Guess so.” 

“I remember when the first few people started finding out I was gay. It was strange at first but it got easier over time. I know it will for you too,” Ian reassured, leaning over to kiss Mickey on the cheek. 

Mickey was going to reply with a witty comeback per his nature, when both boys heard a crying come from the trees along one of the paths. 

They both quickly made their way over, the crying getting louder. “Hello?” Mickey asked out loud, at the same time Ian asked, “Who’s there?”

It was so dark in the woods, it was hard to see each other, let alone someone else. 

They got no reply and tried to follow the crying, each looking every which way to try and find the source.

“Aidan!” Mickey exclaimed all of sudden, jogging a couple feet and crouching down. Ian followed right behind and was shocked to see the little blonde boy sitting up against a tree, head in his knees crying. Mickey reach down to scoop Aidan into his arms, the little boy clinging to him immediately. 

“What are you doing out here, Aidan?” Ian asked, rubbing his back as the boy buried his head in Mickey’s neck, soaking his shirt with tears, not that Mickey minded. 

Aidan didn’t answer, just continued to bawl. 

Mickey swayed with him slightly, trying to calm him down. “Hey, Aidan, everything is going to be alright. I got ya.” Finally Aidan’s sobs turned into heavy sniffles. “Can we go sit down and talk?”

Aidan pulled his head back and looked into Mickey’s eyes, suddenly putting his forehead against Mickey’s and whispering shakily, “Okay, Mickey.”

Ian’s heart ached at the sweet sight, as the three of them made their way out of the brush. Ian followed Mickey’s lead and realized he was leading them down to the dock. When they got there, Ian sat down on the edge and watched as Mickey placed Aidan down, sat down himself and then pulled the blonde boy onto his lap, with Aidan facing him. 

“Aidan, what happened? Why were you in the woods by yourself? Why did you leave the cabin?” Mickey started right away, desperate to know what had happened to his favorite camper. 

“I’m sad,” was all Aidan answered. 

Ian brushed his hair back from his forehead, “Can you tell us why you are sad.”

Aidan hugged Mickey close but nodded. “I miss my mommy,” he whispered. 

Mickey and Ian shared a crushed look at that. “I’m sorry you miss your mommy kiddo,” Mickey soothed, “but I think she would want you to have a really fun time at camp. Haven’t you been having fun so far?”

Aidan nodded, “I am, but I just miss her so much and I want to see her so badly. 

“I know you do, but you’ll see her in a few weeks and get to tell her all about the fun time you had this summer!” Mickey added.

“No, I won't!” Aidan cried out and was suddenly sobbing again into Mickey’s shirt. 

“Of course you will, what do you mean?” Ian asked.

Aidan pulled back and looked between the two of them, “I won’t ever see her ever again because my mommy is dead!”

Mickey and Ian were shocked and looked at each other, neither knowing what to say in a situation like this. But Ian had some experience with absent mothers, and even though his mom wasn’t dead, it sometimes felt like it. Ian took one of Aidan’s hands. “Aidan, I know what it’s like to not have your mom around and I’m so sorry that your mommy is gone. But the most important thing you have to remember is that there are still so many people that are here and love you.”

“Do you love me?” Aidan sniffled up at Ian.

“‘Course I do. You are such a great kid Aidan, how could anyone not love you?”

Aidan blushed and turned to Mickey, slightly apprehensive, “Do you love me Mickey Mouse?”

The nickname didn’t even phase him as looked down at the little boy on his lap. “Yeah, Aidan, I love you kid.” Aidan smiled and leaned his cheek against Mickey’s chest contently. 

Ian broke the quiet after a few minutes, “You ready to head back up to the cabin Aidan?”

Aidan nodded against Mickey’s chest, already on his way to sleep. 

Mickey carried Aidan back to the cabin, and Ian kept his hand on Mickey’s back the whole time. 

“G’night kid,” Mickey whispered as he and Ian tucked him in. 

“Night,” Aidan answered sleepily. “Love you Ian, love you Mickey.”

Ian led Mickey out of the cabin to finish their shift and check on the other cabins. 

“Why’s it gotta be him, ya know?” Mickey asked as they walked. “He gotta have a shit father  _ and _ a dead mom.”

“I know. It’s not fair,” Ian answered.

“I just hate the idea of him going back to that house with just his dad.”

“Me too, Mick. But I’m glad he has you right now.” Ian stopped Mickey from walking and pulled him close. “I’m glad I have you too.”

Mickey smiled shyly down until Ian tipped his chin and locked lips with him. It was a soft kiss that wouldn’t lead anywhere since they were working, but it said a lot nonetheless. They were here for each other. 


	7. Summer Loving Had Me a Blast

“Ugh, it’s happening again.”

“What is?” Kiki asked as Devin plopped down next to her on the lounge chair near the pool.

“I’m falling back in love with him,” Devin explained, seemingly exasperated with himself. 

“Oh, Devin,” Kiki sighed, “you do this every summer.”

“I know,” Devin groaned, “but look at him, how can I not be in love with someone who looks like that. 

Kiki looked out at the pool where her friend Ian was splashing around with some kids, hair dark red from the water, chiseled body glowing in the sun. “You kissed once when you were 13 and then he told you he just wanted to be friends. You’ve got to move on.”

“I can’t. We were just kids then, I can’t give it up until I give it a real shot. This is going to be the summer I finally tell him how I feel.” 

“Well you better do it fast before he gets too far gone with Mickey.”

“What?”

“You didn’t know?”

“Him and Mickey? Seriously?”

“C’mon, those two have been all over each other lately. How have you not noticed?”

“I think love has made me blind.”

Kiki chuckled, “Yet you still stare at Ian like he’s a greek god.”

“Well not blind to Ian obviously. Couldn’t ever be blind to that boy, that’s for sure.”

Kiki rolled her eyes at his dramatics, “Yeah okay.”

“Okay, that’s it. I’m doing it tonight. It could be my last chance.”

“Let me know how that goes, Dev,”

“I will.” Devin sighed leaning his head against Kiki’s shoulder, thinking about how he was going to tell Ian Gallagher he had been in love with him for years. 

_____________________________________________________________ 

“Hey Mickey, could you stay a sec. I think we may have an allergy issue with tomorrow’s cooking class.”

“Sure, Boss,” Mickey saluted before turning to Ian. “I’ll meet you at the spot in a few.”

The nightly meeting had just been dismissed and everyone was in shock that there was only a month left of camp. It happened this way every year. The first few days of camp would crawl along and then suddenly they were dreading each night as it meant one day closer to going back to reality. This year was infinitely worse for Ian since this year he truly had something, someone to stay for and his post camp life with Mickey was up in the air. Ian had conveniently put off that conversation with Mickey. He was afraid Mickey thinking about them together post camp would freak him out. 

So Ian savored what moments they did have together. Tonight’s plan was to meet in the spare room since neither were on OD and Mickey didn’t have kitchen duty. 

He was leaning against the outside wall of the room waiting, since Mickey had the key when he heard footsteps. “Hey, Bab—“

“Hi.”

“What are you doing over here Devin?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

Ian just stood there staring, biting his lip in nervousness. Sure Mickey has been okay with Kiki finding out but telling someone on his own without Mickey there is totally different. 

Evidently he didn’t have to mull over the decision too long. “Look I know you and Mickey are a thing right now.”  _ Fucking Kiki.  _

“Umm.”

“Look, I don’t know what the exact deal is, but I just have to get something off my chest before it’s too late.”

“Oh?” 

Devin took a step forward so he was right in front of Ian. “I like you Ian. A lot. I have for a long time”. 

“You what?” Ian had not seen this coming. He’d been friends with Devin for years and hadn’t picked up an ounce of flirtation since a game of spin the bottle his summer before 9th grade. 

Devin nodded. “I just love hanging out with you. You’re sweet and funny and obviously good looking. We were just kids back then, ya know, and now we get along so well, I just think if we gave it a shot—”

Ian interrupted Devin's rambling confession “Devin, I can’t I’m wit—”

“Tell me it’s not too late,” Devin returned the favor, but with confidence Ian hadn’t seen before. Before he knew it Devin’s hand was on his waste and the fingers on the other hand brushing his face as he started leaning in. 

“What the fuck is going on here?”

“Mickey!” Ian exclaimed stepping back from Devin.

Mickey didn’t say anything, just shook his head and bit his lip before turning and walking away. Fast. 

“Shit,” Ian bursted out as he followed Mickey, feeling a strong sense of De’ja vu.

“Wait, Ian!” He heard Devin call behind him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for him to see!”

“Save it Devin, you’ve done enough,” Ian retorted as he stalked after the man he was falling hard for, desperate not to lose him. 

Predictably, Ian followed Mickey all the way down to the docks and stood behind Mickey who was sitting on the edge. 

“Seems like we always end up here, huh?” Ian teased to try to lighten the mood. 

“Seems like you always fuckin’ follow me when I tell you not to.”

_ Ouch.  _ Okay, so jokes weren’t going to work right now. “I know it sounds cliche, but what you saw back there Mickey, wasn’t what it seems like.”

“Seems like you were fucking cheating on me.”

“I wasn’t, Mic--”

“I actually fucking open up to you and you treat me like this! I came out for you and you treat me like shit!” Mickey was on his feet now in Ian’s face.

“Mickey that’s not true! Just let me explain!”

“Funny how when you told me Devin was a fag, you forgot to mention you were also fucking him!”

“Please, Micke--”

“I’m taking a walk. And  _ don’t, _ ” Mickey jabbed his finger in Ian’s chest, “fucking follow me this time!”

And Mickey was gone. Ian knew this time he shouldn’t follow Mickey. 

Ian sat on the dock for who knows how long before returning to the cabin to try to get some sleep. He knew nothing would be solved tonight. When he entered the cabin, he saw Mickey was already fast asleep in his bed. 

_____________________________________________________________

Unfortunately for Ian, the next day wasn’t going any better. Mickey gave him the cold shoulder all morning and Ian couldn’t try to talk to him about it without the kids noticing. It also just so happened that they didn’t have any activities together today, so Ian would have to wait until Mickey was on kitchen duty tonight to get his chance. He’d told Kiki a rundown of what had happened including Mickey dumping him, and she admitted she’d told Devin they were together, but she didn’t think he would pull something like that. If it wasn’t for being friends since they were seven, Ian probably would have been more pissed. 

The only good part about the day was that Devin seemed to realize his drastic mistake and steered clear of Ian. Having to deal with his own shit  _ and  _ Devin’s shit would have sent him over the edge. Hopefully Devin got the message that he was not interested. 

10:00 pm finally rolled around and Mickey conveniently snuck away the second meeting was adjourned. Ian, being swarmed by friends, was unable to go after him immediately. When he finally broke away under the guise of having to use the restroom, he swiftly made his way to the kitchen. He quietly opened the side door and stood there as he saw Mickey work, head down, not seeing him yet.

Ian could overhear the conversation between Mickey and his uncle. “What’s wrong with you Mikhailo?”  _ Mikhailo? _ Well that is definitely something to tease Mickey about if he ever talks to him again. 

“‘’M fine.” Ian knew that wasn’t true. 

“You having problems with that girl of yours?” Mickey just shrugged.  _ Mickey had talked to his uncle about them? _ Well kind of. But still, that was a big deal. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Damn, you really like her don’t you?”

Ian braced himself for Mickey’s response. Mickey looked up at his uncle and then back down at his bowl. Then he nodded. It was enough ammunition for Ian to make his presence known. He tried to walk loudly so Mickey would notice him and have time to gather himself before he reached him. 

“Ian!” Ronnie belted. “We got a load of brownies left over from dinner.”

“Thanks, Ronnie,” Ian smiled. 

“Have as many as you want. I have to go finish unloading the dry goods delivery from earlier,” Ronnie explained and then not so quietly whispered while pointing his thumb in Mickey’s direction, “Mick’s having girl trouble, would ya try to cheer em up, kid?”

Mickey didn’t look up but Ian saw him clearly roll his eyes as Ronnie left for the storage pantry behind the kitchen. 

“Girl trouble, huh?”

Mickey didn’t look up or reply. 

“Mickey can we please talk? If you don’t want to see me anymore that’s fine, but I think after everything you at least owe me a conversation.”

Mickey froze in concentration for a minute and was about to answer when the door banged open and giggling teens walked in. Ian stepped away from Mickey as he saw Kiki, Michelle and Nathan coming in. “Ronnie we are in desperate need of sugar!” Kiki called! “OH! Ian! Are you getting brownies too?”

“Mickey?” Nathan asked before Ian could answer, “what are you doing back there man?”

Mickey looked up at Ian for the first time in 24 hours but quickly realized he had given up the privilege of having Ian be there to save him. 

Kiki quickly filled in the blanks, “Do you work in the kitchen?”

There was no point in lying, “Yeah.”

Nathan and Michelle looked confused. How had they not known about that. 

“Seriously, Mickey?” Kiki asked him flabbergasted. Mickey looked at her, eyebrows raised. “Help out in the kitchen if you want, but this goody two shoes act doesn’t mean shit when you treat people like shit.”

“Woah,” Mickey started. Where did this chick get off thinking she could talk to him like that. 

“We know what you did to Ian. I should have warned him about you.”

“The fuck are you talking about, bitch.”

“You dumped Ian for no reason! You’re an asshole,” Mickey looked at the others concerned. 

“Kiki!” Ian warned.

“Don’t worry, you two have been hella obvious this summer,” Kiki answered as if reading their minds, “You can stop defending him now, Ian.”

“Back off Ki, you don’t know what you are talking about.”

“He’s not a good guy, Ian, and you deserve someone that treats you right.”

“You’re outta your mind. Mickey is the best damn guy I know!”

“Hey, hey! What the hell is goin’ on here?” Ronnie’s dominating voice was heard suddenly. 

“Nothing,” Ian answered. “They were just getting some brownies and leaving.” 

Ronnie looked at them all suspiciously as the three grabbed a few brownies and ducked out the side door, but didn’t meddle and got back to work. The truck wasn’t going to unload itself. 

Ian and Mickey both just stood there. Ian not talking and Mickey not working. “Thanks,” Mickey shrugged after some time. 

“Of course. They...they are crazy if they think any of that stuff they said is true. They don’t know you like I do.”

Mickey nodded curtly. 

“Mick...can we talk...please?”

Mickey nodded curtly again and took off his apron, coming around the counter and leading Ian to a table that was out of sight if Ronnie came back. 

Mickey faced the table and Ian straddled the bench, facing Mickey’s side. He started right away, “Mickey, I have never and would never cheat on you. Last night, I was waiting for you when Devin came up to me and started saying those things and trying to kiss me. I would not have let that happen. I was trying to tell him I was not interested at all. Because I’m not. You’re the only one here or at home that I want to be with, Mickey. 

Mickey nodded, “And  _ I’m _ sorry I freaked out last night. I shouldn’t have run off like that. It was a pussy move.”

“It wasn’t. I understand why you did it. I might have done the same,” Ian reassured. “I just, I need to know that you know that nothing happened with him.”

Mickey looked Ian in the eyes, “I do. And I don't think I thought you were cheating either. The moment just shocked me, I guess? I think even the thought of you with another guy had me going. And I guess that kind of freaked me out too, so I pushed you away.” Mickey felt a weight lift off his chest at revealing how deep in this he was. 

Ian smiled, feathering his fingers over Mickey’s. “As flattering as it is that you got jealous,” Mickey rolled his eyes, “I don’t want you to push me away,” Ian continued more seriously, “I want you to pull me as close as possible. 

“So cheesy, man.”

Ian chuckled, glad to see Mickey’s spirits up again. “So, we are okay?” Ian asked. He had to be sure. 

“Yeah.” Mickey nodded, locking his fingers with Ian’s just like that night on the dock when they first kissed. Ian smiled but Mickey could see it wasn’t full. “Are  _ you _ okay?”

“Well... nevermind.”

“No, say it. I told you my truth.”

He was right, Ian needed to ask what he had been wanting to for days now. “Last night, when you said I was cheating on you...well...does that mean we’re like...a couple?”

Mickey smiled shyly at Ian through his lashes, “‘Course we are,” before pulling him in for a kiss. 


	8. Summer Loving, Happened So Fast

Ian and Mickey were back and stronger than ever. 

It was a particularly hot night and instead of sitting on the dock and shooting the breeze, the boys had hopped into the cool lake water. 

They did the typical macho boy thing and raced each other from one tree to another with Ian winning the race and all the rematches Mickey demanded. Mickey pouted like the grump he was and Ian couldn’t help but find it endearing. When Mickey finally gave up, the boys swam to the edge of the dock and held on, to give their bodies a break from treading water. 

They were catching their breaths and looking at each other until Ian leaned in and pressed his lips to Mickey’s. Mickey responded right away. Kissing Ian was far better than any girl he ever kissed. He couldn’t imagine there was anyone out there that could kiss him better than Ian could. “Had to kiss that pout away,” Ian pulled Mickey from his thoughts as he pulled away. 

“I was  _ not _ pouting,” Mickey defended immediately. 

Ian just gave an eyebrow raise to rival Mickey’s and gave him  _ that  _ look. 

Mickey knew Ian saw right through him but he didn’t care. He wanted more kisses and got just that when he grabbed Ian around the waste and brought them flush. Lips, torsos and legs all touching. Eventually, Mickey needed air and pulled back, but left his forehead touching Ian’s. “I like you a lot,” Mickey breathed into Ian’s mouth. 

He felt Ian smile against his lips. “I like you too, Mikhailo.”

And Mickey froze. And then pulled away suddenly, cheeks rapidly heating up, just as Ian had hoped and expected. 

“What did you call me?” Mickey asked suspiciously, eyebrows shooting up.

“Your name?” Ian feigned innocence, but was smiling like a madman.

“Who fucking told you that, hmm?”

“I just know you is all,” Ian smirked then gasped as he was hit with a splash of water via his boyfriend. 

“Oh you’re dead, Mikhailo!” Ian shouted and a splash war had readily emerged. 

Eventually the boys made it back up on the dock in their usual feet dangling spot with the towels they had brought wrapped around their shoulders. 

“Does it really bother you if I call you Mikhailo?”

“Why the fuck would you want to say that weird ass shit, man?” Mickey had always resented his parents for the Ukranian name. The first day of school was always brutal until he could correct the teacher. 

“It’s not weird if it’s your name. It’s a part of you.”

Mickey sighed, he was quickly becoming whipped when it came to Ian. “Fine. Just don’t do it around other people.” And Ian was fine with that. He liked having another part of Mickey that other people didn’t know about. 

“So, cooking went really well today, huh?” Ian continued, happy to talk to Mickey about nothing and anything until they had to go to bed. 

That had Mickey perking up. “Hell ya! Did you see the kid today?” Mickey had taken to affectionately calling Aidan,  _ The Kid, _ as if he were his own and Ian felt his heart squeeze a little each time. 

Ian chuckled and nodded, “He might be taking over your job soon.” Brownies were a huge hit during week one of cooking so they made them again today and Aidan had taken it upon himself to show the other kids how to get down on eye level with the measuring glass to make sure you’re accurate, as well as how to lightly tap the brownie pan to get rid of the batter bubbles.

Mickey smiled, “How cool would it be if became like a chef or something, just ‘cause of this camp?”

Ian turned his head to look his boyfriend in the eye, “How cool would it be if  _ you _ became a chef just ‘cause of this camp?”

“Nah,” Mickey looked down and shook his head softly, “not for me.”

“Why not? You seem to love cooking and baking with Ronnie.” Ian commandeered the conversation even though he could tell Mickey was becoming uncomfortable. “You told Aidan he could be anything he wanted! So could you, Mick! You could be a chef if you wanted.”

Mickey sighed, he supposed it was finally time to have _the_ _future_ conversation with Ian since there were only a few weeks left of camp. “Not likely, Red. “I’m going to MIT to be an engineer like daddy wants,” Mickey explained, not even attempting to leave the bitterness out of his voice. 

Ian looked at him with pity and there was nothing more Mickey hated. “What about you? I know you still got senior year but what about after that? Gonna be some hot shot who saves all the kids?” Mickey asked to get the attention off himself. 

Ian let it go like always, “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “I guess I would want to do something with kids. Something to help the-

“Why would you want to spend your whole life worrying about other people?” Mickey interrupted. 

Ian wasn’t offended. He knew Mickey wasn’t being rude or dismissive of his interests, he was just curious and needed to mask that vulnerability with aggressiveness. “I guess that’s just who I am,” Ian answered. “I want everyone to be alright. Even if I didn't work with kids like these ones at camp, I think I'd still worry. So why not do something to help. Even a little.”

“Jeez, you’re like the polar opposite of me.”

“Hmm,” Ian hummed but didn’t say anything more.

“Spit it out mumbles…” 

“I just…I don’t think that’s totally true is all.”

“Don’t think what is true?”

“That you don’t care about other people. I see the way you look out for Aidan.”

Mickey shook his head, “That’s just Aidan though.”

“Uh uh. Sure maybe Aidan the most but you help them all, you look out for them all. And for me.”

Mickey looked up at Ian, “That’s different.”

Ian shrugged, “Just wish sometimes that everyone got to see the guy I see all the time.”

Mickey smiled shyly and then suddenly pulled off his and Ian’s towels and tossed them behind him. He pressed up against Ian’s side and started kissing along his jaw. “You’re the only guy I wanna see right now,” he whispered as he moved towards Ian’s lips. Ian’s eyes fluttered closed as he let Mickey ravish him in kisses and soft touches. 

______________________________________________________________

With only three weeks left and camp winding down, Mickey was trying to make the most of his time left with these kids. As much as he hadn’t wanted to like this experience, he could no longer deny that this summer had changed his life. He knew most of these kids would be going back to shitty lives come September and he wanted to do his part in making sure this was a summer to remember for them. 

The cooking kids had just come bustling into the dining hall from a campwide game of four-way soccer. Mickey and Ronnie had set out lemonade cups for their kids to devour before they started the cooking lesson. One of Mickey’s personal favorite parts of the summer had been seeing Aidan come out of his shell. What had started as Aidan opening up to Mickey had blossomed into him becoming more confident in himself and making friends. In fact, Mickey almost choked on his water one night at dinner when Aidan casually announced that Leah from the girls cabin was his girlfriend. Ian had rolled his eyes affectionately, as Mickey jokingly grilled Aidan about whether this girl was good enough for him. 

“What are we making today, Mickey Mouse?” Aidan sidled up to Mickey after downing his lemonade. Mickey was sitting at one of the table’s benches and automatically pulled the blond boy onto his lap, securing his arms around him. 

“Take a guess?”

Aidan concentrated hard, “Mmmmm, BROWNIES?”

Mickey broke out into laughter. “Sorry kid. Can’t just feed you guys brownies all the time.”

“Aw,” he pouted lightly. “Give me a hint then.”

“Okay.” Mickey turned them both to look at the table that was set up with all the ingredients and necessary cooking ware. “Take a look at what’s on the table.”

Aidan concentrated again, taking in the large glass pans, jars of tomato sauce, the boxes of fat noodles and finally had his  _ aha _ moment and spun around to face his favorite counselor, “WE’RE MAKING LASAGNA?!”

Mickey chuckled, “You got it kid!”

“I LOVE LASAGNA!” Aidan bellowed, eyes wide and arms stretched out like a crazy person, causing Mickey to laugh even more. He really did love this kid. How anyone could have ever laid a finger on him was beyond him. 

He was just about to get up to start the cooking class when Ian came up to him with a look on his face that Mickey didn’t like. “Hey, who is that?” Ian asked, jerking his head to the main entrance of the dining hall. 

Mickey turned to look and found Lucille, assistant director John, as well as a man and woman dressed in business attire who kept whispering to each other and looking in Mickey’s direction. “Not sure…”

The group of adults suddenly walked towards the three of them, each with a serious look on their face and Mickey had an uneasy feeling about it. Somehow Mickey knew something he wouldn’t like was about to go down. Mickey leaned back against Ian’s leg and held tight around Aidan who was still oblivious, subconsciously protecting the two people he cared most about here. 

“We’re going to need Aidan Andrews to come with us,” the man spoke as soon as he reached them, not even introducing himself. 

“What do you mean ‘come with you’?” Mickey held onto Aidan tighter who was now paying attention to the grownups at the mention of his name. “Who are you?” Mickey asked putting forth his best effort to keep his language clean when all he wanted was to tell this guy to fuck off. 

“I’m Bill Dyer of Chicago’s family services.” Ian’s hand shot to Mickey's shoulder as those words were spoken. “And we’re going to be taking Aidan into state custody immediately.” Mickey froze. 

“Custardy?” Aidan asked, looking back at Mickey. He didn’t know what that word meant or where Custardy was but he knew he wanted to stay with Mickey. 

“Let’s all wait a second here,” Ian intervened, seeing his boyfriend was still in shock to argue. “What’s all this about?”

Before Bill could speak, Lucile broke in, “Why don’t we take this outside and not cause a scene in front of the kids.”

Ian nodded in agreement. Assistant Director John bent down in front of Aidan, “Why don’t you go join the other kids at the table while we talk to your counselors.”

Aidan shook his head. “I want to stay with Mickey!” he whined pushing himself further back into Mickey’s chest. John looked at Mickey imploringly. 

Mickey relented, “We’ll just be a minute, Aidan, alright? I’ll see you in just a minute.”

Aidan pouted but reluctantly got off Mickey’s lap and went to sit with the other kids. He sat at the very edge of the bench, looking on as the big people went outside. 

“Someone wanna tell me what the fuck is going on now?” Mickey got right to the point. 

“I’m sorry, and you are who in relation to Mr. Andrews?” The man asked. 

“I’m Mickey and this is Ian. We’re his counselors.” Mickey replied, gesturing between himself and Ian. “The people that have been taking care of him for the last two months. Now tell us what is going on?”

The man and woman both shook their heads. It was the first indication the woman had given that she was actually involved in this. “Mickey, we really are not at liberty to spread this information.”

Mickey was now pissed. He laughed bitterly. “You really think imma let you come in here and take a six year old away with strangers without telling me why?”

Finally Lucille broke in, “Bill, Nicole, I think you can appreciate that this is a delicate situation you’ve just walked into. Mickey and Ian  _ are _ particularly invested in Aidan Andrews, so perhaps we could fill them in just this one time.”  _ Well thank fuck for Lucille, Mickey thought.  _

Bill sighed. “I suppose.” 

“Well?” Mickey said, not about to thank the man for telling him basic information. 

Bill looked between Ian and Mickey and then spoke, “Aidan’s sister, Alexis, was discovered by her preschool teachers to have bruising across her abdomen and back.” Mickey sucked in a breath. He wanted to kill that fucker for touching his kids. “It was pretty extensive, with coloring that indicated the abuse had been going on for months. When questioned, Alexis admitted her dad was the one hitting her and that it had been happening since their mother passed in March.”

“Fuck!” Mickey grunted shaking his head. He felt Ian place his hand on his lower back and relaxed instantly, not even thinking about who saw. 

“So what happens now?” Ian asked. Mickey didn’t understand how he was so calm during this. But then again, his own dad had never managed to refrain from hitting his kids, even Mandy, so this was probably getting to him more. 

It was Nicole’s turn to speak. “Now we take Aidan into state custody immediately for evaluation and his statement for when it comes time to prosecute his dad.”

“He’s only six!” Mickey interrupted. 

“I know,” Nicole continued, “we are highly trained to work with kids like him and --”

“His name is Aidan!” Mickey interjected, suddenly bringing himself back to that first day of camp when Aidan told him his name. He had no idea how attached he would become to the kid. 

The lady nodded, “With kids like Aidan.” Mickey nodded, marginally more satisfied than he was fifteen seconds ago. “There’s a great couple back in the city who we’ve managed to place both Aidan and Alexis with. Taking him away from camp early is not ideal but we consider keeping siblings together a success.”

“Well can he come back to camp?” Ian asked, “after he’s evaluated and given a statement?”

The man sighed, “We can’t say for certain, but it’s unlikely. It will be better for Aidan to stay with his new foster parents and become accustomed to a stable environment.”

“It will be better if he stays with us! You can’t just take him like that!” Mickey yelled, trying to keep his emotions, both pissed and heartbroken, at bay. 

“That’s not possible,” Bill spoke, now in a more serious tone. “We’ve spoken enough. We’re taking Aidan and we’re taking him now.” He nodded at Lucille who went back into the dining hall to get the little boy. 

Mickey looked to Ian pleadingly and Ian wished so bad he could do something to take that pain away from Mickey. “We can at least say goodbye to him right?” Ian questioned. They deserved at least that. Mickey deserved that. 

The man fortunately nodded. “I suppose, but make it quick, we need to get on the road and get back into the city before dark.”

Mickey scoffed, he was going to take as damn long as he wanted to and was about to tell the man that when the dining hall door opened and Aidan walked out with Lucille, a nervous look on his little face. 

“What’s going on, Mickey Mouse?” the little one asked when he got to where Mickey and the others were standing. 

Mickey kneeled down so he was at Aidan’s level, sinking his teeth into his tongue to keep from crying in front of the kid. “Hey Buddy,” Mickey started, putting his hands on Aidan’s shoulder, “listen, something happened at home so you’re going to have to go with these nice people for a bit okay?” He hoped the kid would just take that as enough of an explanation. 

No such luck. He knew Aidan better than that. “What do you mean, Mickey? What’s going on?”

Mickey looked down at the ground then back up at Aidan, “They found some bruises on your sister and she told them it was your pops. So they gotta take you into foster care and get you checked out.”

Aidan’s eyes went wide, “Oh no, oh no, oh no! I shouldn’t have left Lexi all alone!” the little boy cried, thrusting himself against Mickey’s chest. 

Mickey hugged him tight and then pulled him back to look him in the eyes, “This is NOT your fault, you hear me?”

Aidan sniffed as tears streamed down his face, “He wasn’t hurting her. I promise Mickey. He only hurted me. Why did I leave her?”

Mickey buried his head in Aidan’s soft hair, not wanting the little one to see his own eyes spilling out tears. “She’s okay now. You’re both going to be okay now,” he whispered into his hair. 

“I don’t wanna go, Mickey, I want to stay with you forever!” Mickey could feel his shirt becoming stained with tears, he didn’t care in the slightest. 

“I know kid, but you have to go.”

“Will I get to come back to camp?” Aidan asked, pulling back to look at Mickey.

Mickey thumbed at Aidan’s tears, “I hope so kid. But maybe not this year.”

“It’s not fair!” Aidan yelled suddenly, shoving at Mickey’s shoulders. Mickey just took it, he knew the boy needed to get his anger at the situation out. “I don’t want to go with those stupid heads!”

Ian could see Mickey was struggling to tell the boy he had to go, so Ian bent down and took one of Aidan’s hands in his. “Aidan that’s not very nice. Bill and Nicole are going to take you to a nice foster family this time. And your sister needs you. She needs you to help her feel safe in your new house okay? You have to be there for her.”

Aidan nodded slowly, tears somewhat slowing. If there was one thing that Aidan was, it was a good big brother. “I hope I can see you again some day,” he told his counselors. 

“You will,” Mickey answered without missing a beat. “Even if you can’t come back to camp, Ian and I will come find you after the summer, okay?”

Aidan nodded and gave Mickey a big tight hug. “Does he need to go to the cabin and collect his things?” Ian asked the social workers, standing up. 

“No,” Bill responded stacatically. “His foster parents have clothes for him at the house. We’ll send for anything we need later on.”

“It’s time to go, Aidan,” Nicole said, taking Aidan’s hand and pulling him away from Mickey’s embrace and towards the waiting car. 

All of sudden Aidan jerked out of the lady’s hand and ran back over to Mickey, on the verge of panic, “I need to get Pickles!”

Mickey scooped him up naturally and turned to the case workers, “He needs his stuffed shark. Kid can’t sleep without it,” Mickey explained matter of factly.

“We don’t have time to go to the cabin, we need to hit the road.” Nicole said.

Now Mickey was pissed. “You don’t take away a six year old away from everything he knows and not even let him take his damn stuffed animal!”

“His foster parents will have plenty of toys for him,” Bill explained and Mickey wanted to smack the polite smile off his face. 

“He doesn’t want their fucking new toys, he wants his shark! Let me get him his shark,” Mickey pleaded, no longer trying to keep his language clean. He saw Lucille cover her mouth with one hand in shock and the other’s eyes go wide. 

Nicole sighed and looked at her watch, “If you can be back here in less than 10 minutes. We are leaving at 4:00 pm on the dot.”

“I can do it,” Mickey promised, starting to put Aidan down to run up the hill towards the cabin when Ian grabbed him.”

“Let me, I’m faster.”

Mickey shook his head, “I can do this. I got this.”

Ian nodded and took Aidan from Mickey’s arms who went willinging and Mickey was out of sight in a flash. 

Mickey panted as he made his way up the hilly, winding path. It normally took at least 7 minutes to get up there but he was determined to make it back to send Aidan off with at least one thing to keep him comforted in this scary situation. He could barely breathe as he flew open the cabin door and headed to Aidan’s bed where he spotted Pickles tucked against the pillow where Aidan always put it when getting ready for the day. Mickey didn’t dare doddle, and grabbed the thing and bolted back down the path. If he had any breath left he would have breathed a sigh of relief as he rounded the last corner and saw the group still there, Aidan still in Ian’s arms. 

Aidan was sobbing again as he flung himself from Ian’s arms to Mickeys, clutching Pickles in one hand, other tiny hand on Mickey’s cheek, “I thought  _ hup _ -” Adain had given himself the hiccups while Mickey was gone, “you wouldn’t  _ hup  _ make it back in time.”

Mickey ran his hand through Aidan’s soft hair, “I’ll always make it back for you, kid.”

“We were  _ hup  _ supposed to make  _ hup  _ las- _ hup-- _ ”

“Shhh,” Mickey soothed the crying boy, “I know buddy. I promise you and me will make lasagna together one day, okay?” Aidan nodded. “But right now you have to be strong. Can you be strong?”

“I don’t know,” he cried. 

“I know you can, Aidan. You’re the bravest boy I know.”

“I am?”

“Mmhmm,” Mickey hummed, giving the boy a last tight squeeze, “And now it’s time for you to get going.” He put the boy down and watched as Nicole once again pulled him to the car. 

“Bye, Ian, bye, Mickey Mouse,” he said as the door was shut behind him. 

The boys watched the car pull away, with Aidan’s little face smushed up against the glass until it was too fogged up and too far away they could no longer see him. 


	9. Summer of 69

Mickey stood stock still as the dust from the car settled. Ian didn’t know if he should back off or run to his boyfriend. “Mick…?” Ian started very quietly. 

And Mickey’s eyes darted to Ian’s immediately and Ian could see by the bite of his lip that Mickey wasn’t going to be alright and that he was freaking out about the situation in addition to freaking out that other people besides Ian might see him vulnerable. “Lucille,” Ian walked up to the camp director, “do you think Mickey and I could... you know—“

“Go. Take a couple hours to calm down. I know you two were particularly close with Aidan,” Lucille explained. “We’ll see you in the meeting tonight?” Lucille asked in that boss way that wasn’t actually asking. But she had already been more than generous to give them a few hours off. 

Ian opened the door to the room with the key and held it open for Mickey to go in first. The dark haired teen walked in. Nobody would describe Mickey Milkovich as a particularly peppy person, but this was a stoic side of Mickey that Ian had never seen and quite frankly it was making him nervous. 

“They just took him.”

“I know.” Ian sat down next to his boyfriend. Ian scooted close and wrapped his arm around Mickey’s shoulder and the boy simply crumbled. Ian held him tight as Mickey let out choked sobs into Ian’s chest. 

“They won’t know how to rub his back to get him to sleep,” was the first thing Ian heard when Mickey’s tears had somewhat dried up. 

“He’ll tell them,” Ian reassured, “you’ve helped him become so much more confident. You should be so proud of yourself Mick.”

“And what if they don’t do it?”

“You can’t think like that Mickey. The social workers said it was a nice family.”

Mickey nodded against Ian’s chest. He had to believe in that. 

The boys seemingly reading each other's minds, and thoroughly exhausted from the previous events, stripped down to their boxes and curled up under the covers. “What’s going on in that head of yours?” Ian asked eventually, tapping Mickey’s temple. 

Mickey shifted closer to Ian, pulling his freckled leg over his own and shrugged as best he could lying down. “Just this whole Aidan thing...I guess…made me realize that anything can be taken from me at any minute.” Ian nodded along. “And I don’t want that.” Mickey played with the light hair on Ian’s chest. “I don’t want to waste my life away doing what someone else wants. I don’t want to go to MIT… I think, I think I want to go to culinary school.” He smiled up at his redhead and was met with a huge smile back. 

“I’m proud of you for doing what makes you happy, Mickey.”

Mickey looked down again, nervous, “Being with you, even after camp ends, would make me the happiest. If you want.” 

Ian tipped his boyfriends chin up and kissed him softly but lingered “‘Course I want.”

Mickey smiled and Ian smiled back at him, “You’re fucking gorgeous,” Mickey found himself saying before he could stop the mush from falling out of his mouth. Predictably, Ian’s eyes went wide. He didn’t dare comment and spook Mickey, who was blushing furiously, he just kissed his boyfriend until they were both out of breath. 

“You should see my view,” in the end Ian couldn't help but compliment back.

They kissed some more and Mickey rolled over on top of Ian, a questioning look in his eye, biting his lip in aprehension. 

“You sure?” Ian asked. Mickey nodded and Ian rolled him over so he was now on top. He took off his own boxers and then Mickey’s. Then he reached under the bed and came back up with a condom and lube in hand. Mickey had seen the lube before, but not the condoms.

“You little perv,” he teased. 

Ian just smirked and covered Mickey’s mouth with his own. Their tongues tangled, “Tell me if anything hurts and I’ll stop right away.”

Mickey nodded eagerly. He wanted so much more of Ian than he had ever received before. When he felt Ian’s lubed up fingers enter him one by one, he was sure he was going to come right then and there. When their dicks where nice and hard and Mickey was ready, Ian pulled back to roll the condom on himself, staring at Mickey’s sexy as hell face the whole time. He slicked himself up and lifted Mickey’s legs and slowly eased in. 

Ian had never felt anything so pleasurable, so tight and molded to his cock. “You’re perfect, Mickey.” 

Mickey moaned in pleasure, cursed, bit his lip, scratched at Ian’s back as Ian pumped in and out over and over. How he didn’t know he was gay was beyond him. As Ian felt himself nearing, he leaned over Mickey, looking into his eyes, the moment intensifying greatly. “You’re it for me, Mick,” he whispered and suddenly felt warm come on his stomach as his boyfriend gasped in ecstasy. The unexpectedness of that moment was too much for Ian and he came right after Mickey, laying down on him after. 

Ian cleaned them up and sidled back up with Mickey. He had left Mickey on cloud nine and now his boyfriend had tears welling up again. “Hey, hey, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?”

Mickey sniffled but shook his head, “It’s just all...a lot.”

“It’s okay, Mick,” Ian ran his hands up and down Mickey’s arms, “You don’t have to come out or do anything if you don’t want to. I promise. I'll always be there for you, however you’ll have me. Whatever pace you wanna go at.”

“I do though. I do have to come out. Otherwise I'm always going to feel like this. Feel scared and feel fucking exhausted from not being me. I don’t give a fuck what happens to me back home if I can’t even be myself there. You and me, we’re staying together. I need to be with you because...because I love you, Ian.”

Ian molded his lips to Mickey’s, “I love you too, Mickey,” he whispered into the narrow space between their mouths, “and I’ll be right there with you every step of the way.”

_________________________________________________________

“Mickey, could I see you for a moment?” Lucille asked as the campers and counselors were clearing their lunch plates the next day. 

Mickey followed her outside, “What’s up, Boss?”

Lucille smiled weakly, “How are you doing, Mickey?”

Mickey looked down. Was it that obvious? It’s not like she had seen him almost check his top bunk the previous night to make sure Aidan was sound asleep before he went to bed, or had seen him reach halfway up to shake Aidan awake this morning. But somehow she knew. Mickey shrugged in response. No point in lying. 

“I know you were particularly attached to Aidan Andrews. You truly helped him come out of his shell,” she praised as Mickey looked at the ground. He had never been good with praise. “You should be really proud of yourself. I know I am. I’m so impressed with how far you’ve come this summer.” Mickey just nodded, trying to silently curse away his blush. 

“But Mickey,” she waited until he was looking up at her. “Mickey, you have other kids here that need you just as much as Aidan did. I do hope you can spend these last two weeks remembering that.” She squeezed his shoulder and left it at that, walking back into the dining hall, Mickey following soon after. 

_______________________________________________________________

Mickey sighed in apprehension. “You sure you don’t want me to go in with you?”

Mickey nodded, “Yeah. Gotta do this on my own, man.” Ian understood. Mickey was coming out to his uncle tonight and Ian felt like his nerves were right up there with the man himself. In all the years knowing Ronnie, his own sexuality had never come up so Ian couldn’t tell one way or another how Ronnie would react to Mickey’s news. Mickey was certain his dad would disown him, and by default his mom too, who knew about his sister, so Ian hoped Mickey would have at least one family member in his corner. 

Mickey had chosen a night where he didn’t have kitchen work in case things went poorly. He couldn’t imagine having to spend two hours in the kitchen with an uncle who thought he was going to hell because he was in love with a boy. 

“Okay,” Ian agreed as he leaned up against the outside wall of the dining hall to wait for Mickey to come back out. “I love you and you got this so hard, Mick.”

Mickey laughed at his goof, glad Ian knew how to keep a smile on his face even in tough times. Mickey touched his thumb to Ian’s bottom lip and gently dragged it down and turned on his heel to walk through the dining hall doors, not looking back. 

“Hey!” Ronnie bellowed when he saw Mickey approach the half counter. “What are you doing in here tonight? Need some nosh?”

Mickey shook his head. “Actually I need to talk to you about something.”  _ Just bite the bullet Mickey. _

Ronnie instantly sensed it was serious and took off his apron and came around to sit at a table with Mickey. “Everything alright?”

Mickey nodded. “You know how you gave me that key to the spare room?” 

“Ah Mick, tell me you didn’t get busted.”

“No, no. Nothing like that. But… _ ” Rip off the bandaid Mickey... _ “It’s a boy.” 

Ronnie wrinkled his brow, “What’s a boy?”

_ Time to face the music.  _ “The person I’ve been seeing...is a boy. It’s Ian. We’re…well he’s my boyfriend.”

It was silent for a few seconds, and Mickey couldn’t bare to look his uncle in the eyes. “Look Mickey, I know you’re family and all, but,” -  _ here it comes, “ _ If you break Ian’s heart we’re gonna have some serious issues. I’ve known Ian since he was a boy, he’s a good--” Mickey had tuned out completely the minute he realized his uncle wasn’t calling him a fag. 

“You’re okay with it?” Mickey asked tentatively, looking up again. 

“Mikhailo, you’re my nephew. Who you like doesn’t change that for me.”

“But dad…” Mickey was confused. How could his uncle and father, who’d grown up together have such different outlooks on homesexuality. 

“I know it might not make sense, but your dad has stayed in a bubble all his life. I’ve been around kid. After a while you realize that kind of thing doesn’t matter. All that matters is being a good person.”

Mickey just nodded, mouth slightly agape, at a loss of words. This had gone a thousand times better than expected. 

“I’m glad you told me, Mickey.” Ronnie cupped him on the shoulder, “Now where’s that boyfriend of yours, hmm? Gotta let him know he better treat my nephew right too.”

“Don’t you fucking dare!” Mickey warned. Ronnie lived for an opportunity to embarrass his nephew and Mickey knew it. 

“Fine. Not today. But I want to be introduced to him properly.”

Mickey nodded and headed out the door. “Proud of you kid!” Ronnie called and Mickey ducked his head to hide his blush as he opened the door and found Ian leaning on the wall right where he’d left him. 

Ian popped up right away, “How’d it go?”

Mickey answered him with a long and deep kiss, disregarding anyone who could see them. Ian pulled back with a face splitting grin. “It went well,” Mickey answered as nonchalantly as possible, as if the whole thing had been no big deal, loving that Ian was practically begging for details with his eyes. He turned and walked off towards their spot at the dock, hearing Ian chase after him. 

“Asshole! You can’t just leave it at that!” Ian teased. “Tell me everything!” Mickey laughed and ran ahead, enjoying the new sense of freedom he had. 

_______________________________________________________________

As the final week of camp approached, Mickey made sure to really take what Lucille had said to heart. She was right in the sense that there were 50 other kids in the camp besides Aidan. Sure he had known that, he’d shared a cabin with a handful of them, but he’d come to realize that each kid was special and just as important as Aidan. He’d found a few other kids that took to cooking as much as Aidan and he ended up excited that they had been able to badger him into making a little cooking tutorial skit with them for the talent show. 

Both Kiki and Devin apologized to him for their part in the break up fiasco a few weeks earlier. They didn’t want to go out on a bad note and Mickey could appreciate it. Accepting Devin’s apology was the harder of the two, but in the end he realized he might have done the same thing if the roles were reversed. If Ian ever broke up with him, he would do anything to get him back. He just hoped it would never come to that. And Ian constantly reassured him he was all in for him. 

It seemed like they were spending every other night before bed in the room curled around each other, exploring each other in new ways, whispering  _ I love yous _ into each other’s mouths. 

Every two weeks, each counselor would get half a day off to relax or even go into the nearby town if they wanted. Today was Mickey and Ian’s last one of the summer, and they’d managed to get the same time period off. Mickey had wanted to stay out in the little town, enjoying hanging out in the little mom and pop cafe they had eaten a late breakfast in, but Ian was begging to get back. He said he was tired and would rather spend their time off napping alone in the room. Mickey thought something was off, but didn’t fight it and they headed back. 

“Where are you going?” Mickey asked as Ian headed in the opposite direction of their room. 

“Just gonna stock up on some snacks for after our nap so we don’t have to walk all the way back.”

Mickey hummed. Made enough sense to him. He followed Ian to the dining hall and he could swear Ian was looking over his shoulder and checking his watch the whole time. But he didn’t push it. “Oh sweet, there’s still chocolate croissants from last night, Ian?” Mickey smiled to himself as he put a couple on a paper plate. 

“You going to be sharing any with me?”

Mickey whipped around, dropping the plate on the counter. He’d know that voice anywhere. 

“Aidan!” Mickey looked down at the little boy who was now standing in front of him. “What are you doing here, kid?” He scooped him up and on to his hip, holding him tight.

“You’re squeezing tooooo....tighttt…” Mickey eased up and Aidan started giggling. “I surprised you Mickey!”

“Yes, you did!” He spotted Ian smiling on his side, but not really looking to surprised. “You in on this?” he asked. 

“Maybe.”

“Alright you two, spill now,” Mickey joked as they all sat at a table. Ian and Mickey on one bench with Aidan perched on the table facing them. 

“You want to tell him?” Ian asked Aidan.

Aidan bit his lip, something Ian swore he’d picked up from Mickey, but was feeling shy all of a sudden, “You say it.”

“Okay.” And Ian explained how Lucille had come to him the night before. She’d told him that Aidan and Alexis had settled in better than expected with their new foster parents. After Aidan was cleared medically, the social workers told them it was up to them if they wanted to send Aidan back to camp to finish out the summer. They thought about it and saw how much he was missing camp and decided to let him come back for the last week. “So basically, Lucille told me and not you because she wanted it to be a surprise,” Ian finished off with a cheesy grin, not sure how his boyfriend would react. 

“It was the best surprise,” he smiled a wide smile Ian loved to see and gave Aidan’s knee a quick squeeze. He turned to Ian and it was like his body was moving on his own as he gave him an equally as quick peck on the cheek. Then he turned red as he remembered his new audience. 

“Why did you kiss Ian?” Aidan questioned. 

Mickey looked at Ian and Ian nodded. “Because...Ian is my boyfriend.”

“OH! Like Leah is my girlfriend,” Aidan stated matter of factly. 

Mickey smiled, “Exactly kid.” Kids were the fucking best. Mickey wouldn’t even believe you if you had told him that would be an actual thought of his three months ago. 

“How are you liking your new foster parents?” Ian asked. 

“Sooo good,” Aidan squealed. “They let us watch movies and cuddle us on the couch sometimes!” Aidan leaned his head down towards the counselors, “And we even had ice cream for breakfast once.”

“Sounds like my kinda people,” Mickey harrumphed making Aidan giggle. “We missed you, kid.”

“Missed you too, Mickey Mouse,” Aidan replied, leaning forward again and booping Mickey’s nose with his own. 

________________________________________________________________   
  


“How are we going home tomorrow?” Ian mused as he inched forward and dipped his big toe into the cool lake water. 

“Mmm. Beats me.”

Ian grabbed Mickey’s hand, “I know it’s cliche but… this was the best summer ever.”

“You are such a corny little shit.”

‘Corny little shit you love?”

“Corny little shit I love.”

“Good.”

“I don’t want to go back to the cabin, ‘cause that means this is really over.”

“Nothing’s over firecrotch,” Mickey confirmed, “this is just our start.”

“And you really just called me corny!” 

“Shut the fuck up.”

The last night of camp had snuck up on them faster than either would have liked. Sure they decided they would stay together after camp, but Camp Kiabi was it’s own little bubble of just the two of them that no one could penetrate. It was terrifying thinking about going back into the real world, where real world problems could poke through. They wanted to hold onto that camp magic for as long as possible. 

“Thank you,” Mickey mumbled after a while. 

“For what?”

“Before coming here, I was miserable, Ian. I was about to get shipped off to a college I didn’t want to go to and I didn’t even know I was gay. Now I’m happy, I get to spend my days cooking and…and I have you.”

“Yeah, you have me, Mick. Always.” Ian brushed his hand through Mickey’s dark locks and kissed his temple and slung his arm around his shoulder, bringing him in close. “You ready to go home?” 

Mickey nodded and leaned his head onto Ian’s shoulder as they enjoyed their spot on the edge of the dock at Camp Kiabi for the final time that summer. 


	10. The Boys of Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue.

_ 3 MONTHS LATER… _

“Noodles?”

“Check.”

“Sauce?”

“Check.”

“Cheese?”

“Check.”

“Parmesan AND Ric--”

“Check, check, and check! We got it all, babe. Don’t worry.”

“What did I say about calling me that?” Mickey huffed in the middle of the grocery store. 

“That you love it.”

Mickey just shook his head at his red headed doofus and led them to the check out line. Aidan was coming over this afternoon and they were finally going to make that lasagna they never had a chance to at camp. 

Saying goodbye to Aidan the second time hadn’t been as hard for Mickey. Firstly, he was prepared for it since it was the expected last day of camp; and secondly when Aidan’s foster parents came to pick him up, Mickey got their number to keep in touch. 

But Mickey didn’t just keep in touch. He took it to the next level by signing up for the Chicago Big Buddy program. A program that paired adults with less advantaged youth in a buddy system. Kids in the Chicago foster care system were automatically eligible to apply, and Aidan’s foster mom made sure to put Mickey’s name in the special request portion of his application. 

Being Aidan’s Big Buddy meant that he had to, or got to in his case, spend two Saturday’s a month with the kid. It was a day of mentoring the youth and basically treating the Little Buddy to a day of fun. And today, Aidan wanted to make lasagna. 

Ian had been highly requested to come to the visits by little Aidan and this would be the second time he joined in on the fun. The first time, about a month ago, Ian was more than happy to spend a day go karting with his boyfriend and an adorable kid. He was equally happy now to have a laid back evening baking lasagna and then chocolate chip cookies with the two. His senior year of high school kept him busy, but Ian loved when he could tag along on these Buddy days. 

Finally they made it back to Ronnie’s where Mickey now lived. Yes, Mickey now lived with Ronnie in his humble two bedroom apartment on the South Side that was a far cry from the home he grew up in. Coming out to his parents had gone pretty much how he had expected it too. 

His father had yelled and thrown things, even shoving him up against a wall, leaving Mickey with a goose egg on his head for days. He tried to stand tall and take it while his dad called him every homophobic slur in the book and probably would have beat him if he didn’t have an important gala the next night. He knew Mickey would fight back and he couldn’t show up bruised. Mickey’s mom and little sister Mandy cowered in the corner the whole time with tears in their eyes. Eventually Terry got to the point and told Mickey if he was going to live that lifestyle then it wouldn’t be in his house and he certainly wasn’t paying for him to go to MIT. Mickey said good, because he wasn’t planning on going anyway.

Mickey locked himself in his room and called his uncle who right away told him to come stay with him. As he was packing his bags, his sister came in and hugged him tight and told him she didn’t care who he liked. She was only 16, so there wasn’t much he could do. She had taken a picture of the two of them from Easter out of it’s frame in the living room and gave it to him to take with him. 

Of course Ian had offered to do the whole coming out thing with him, but Mickey said no again. Not so much that he  _ had  _ to do it by himself again but because he didn’t want Ian anywhere near the vicinity of Terry.

September had been too late to sign up for culinary school for that semester but that was okay because Mickey was spending time taking local cooking classes and working part time for Ronnie’s catering company. He was all set to enroll in culinary school come January though. Ian told him he was so proud of him. Mickey was proud of himself too. 

He would forever be grateful for his Uncle Ronnie helping him out. He was even more grateful that he didn’t mind them having Aidan over for the day and taking over the kitchen. 

They had just gotten the ingredients laid out on the counter when there was a knock at the door. 

“Hey short stuff, get in here,” Mickey said after he swung open the door to a grinning Aidan and his foster mom Jill.”

“Hey! Ian says you’re short stuff too!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Aidan ran past him as soon as he spotted Ian.

“So I’ll pick him up at nine?” Jill confirmed. 

“Yup. Thanks for bringing him over this time.”

“No problem. He hasn’t stopped talking about making this lasagna all week!”

Mickey smiled, he’d gotten so much better with adults lately, “Well we’ll be sure to pack some for him to take home for you, Jason and Alexis.”

“Thanks, Mickey.” And with that she was gone and Mickey joined Aidan and Ian in the kitchen where the blonde was inspecting all the ingredients. 

“We’re making lasaaannggaa, it tastes so gooooddd. I love lasagnaaaa,” Aidan sat on the counter and sang his own song as the noodles boiled, cracking up Mickey and Ian.

“You’re something else, kid,” Mickey mused as he stirred. 

Aidan shot them both a toothy grin. “I know,” he shrugged. 

“Hey, did you lose a tooth?” Ian asked coming closer to Aidan. 

“Uh huh,” Aidan pulled down his lip so Ian and Mickey could see better. 

“Did the tooth fairy pay out?”

“Of course, Mickey Mouse!” 

Mickey smiled and watched on as Ian and Aidan got hyped up about the cookies they were making later on. Even discussing the possibility of sticking M&M’s in them for good measure.

Mickey never would have thought spending his day like this would become one of his favorite activities but it quickly had. 

He now had everything he needed and more thanks to Camp Kiabi. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for joining my on this story! Please let me know your thoughts! Like all authors, I live for comments :P


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